Bioinorganic Catalyst for Aerobic Oxidation of Hydrocarbons

Carbon nanotubes can be used as active matrices for accommodation and transfer of biomodeling components. It seems likely that the application area of such systems can include reactions ensuring aerobic and peroxide oxidation of hydrocarbons. Here, we report a study of iron-containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Fe@MWCNTs) and manganese glycinate dihydrate ([NH₂CH₂COO]₂Mn∙2H₂O) as an active catalytic system for aerobic oxidation of hydrocarbons. The synthesized starting compounds were identified using infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and elemental analysis. Aerobic oxidation of cumene was used as a model test reaction. The results demonstrate that, taken alone, each compound increases the reaction rate by 10–12 times in comparison with a control sample, whereas in the case of the joint use of Fe@MWCNTs and manganese glycinate dihydrate the reaction rate rises many times, reaching 373 mm³ O₂/min. We have proposed a scheme of the oxidation process, which describes the observed synergistic effect. The use of such catalytic systems is of interest for further research in the field of bioinorganic catalysis.