Manganese Schiff Base Immobilized on Graphene Oxide Complex and Its Catalysis for Epoxidation of Styrene

Immobilization of metal complexes on solid supports is an efficient approach to circumvent the drawbacks of homogeneous catalysis. In this paper, using graphene oxide as carrier, manganese Schiff base supported on graphene oxide (Salen Mn-GO) was prepared through aminosilane covalent modification as well as salicylaldehyde condensation and coordination reaction. The structures and properties of the composite were examined by FT-IR, XRD, XPS, TEM, TG techniques, and the catalytic performance of Salen Mn-GO in styrene epoxidation was explored. The effects of catalyst and styrene amount as well as that of reaction time on the performance of the catalyst were investigated. The results showed that Salen Mn-GO has excellent catalytic activity and reusability for epoxidation of styrene in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Finally, the mechanism of styrene epoxidation catalyzed by Salen Mn-GO has been preliminarily discussed.