Novel Cobalt(II)-Decorated 1D Covalent Organic Framework for Selective Oxidation of Ethylbenzene

As one of the most direct methods to construct molecular scaffolds in fine chemicals, C–H bond oxidation is a hot research area in catalysis. One-dimensional covalent organic frameworks (1D-COFs) developed recently have attracted growing attention for catalytic applications owing to their unique edge microstructure. Herein, a novel crystalline 1D-COF (FZU-66) was constructed and further decorated with cobalt(II), which led to excellent heterogeneous catalytic performance in the C–H bond oxidation of ethylbenzene. In an aqueous solution at room temperature within 16 h, the conversion is nearly 100%, while the acetophenone selectivity is around 99%. More impressively, the designed single-dispersed cobalt(II)-coordinated 1D-COF (FZU-66-Co) retained good catalytic activity while maintaining high crystallinity after at least five consecutive recycling experiments. This work will prompt the application of porous polymers in the catalyzed oxidation of C–H bonds and make it an efficient and sustainable platform for activating C–H bonds of aromatic hydrocarbons.