Interfacial CoOx Layers on TiO2 as an Efficient Catalyst for Solvent-Free Aerobic Oxidation of Hydrocarbons

Graphical Ready layer one : A newly synthesized catalyst with layered cobalt oxide on the surface of titania (layer-CoO x /TiO 2 ) is highly selective towards the aerobic oxidation of C−H bonds in a series of hydrocarbons. In-depth structural and functional characterization reveal that the layer-CoO x /TiO 2 readily reacts with O 2 for the adsorption and activation of C−H bonds. Construction of efficient interfaces to improve the performance of supported metal catalysts is a challenging but effective technique. A newly synthesized catalyst with layered cobalt oxide on the surface of titania (layer-CoO x /TiO 2 ) is highly selective towards the aerobic oxidation of C−H bonds in a series of hydrocarbons under sustainable conditions. The layer-CoO x /TiO 2 easily outperforms the state-of-the-art noble metal catalysts and homogeneous cobalt salts used in industry. In-depth structural and functional characterization reveal that the layer-CoO x /TiO 2 readily reacts with O 2 for the adsorption and activation of C−H bonds. The layered structure of CoO x can maximize the interfacial effect of CoO x /TiO 2 leading to a good performance for the oxidation of C−H bonds.