LAUSR

Abstract Various oxides, including Al2O3, Fe2O3, SiO2, and ZrO2, were employed as catalyst supports for the oxidation of cyclohexane by a μ-nitrido-bis[tetra(tert-butyl)phthalocyaninatoiron] complex. These oxide supports were characterized by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measurements and NH3 temperature-programmed desorption analyses. The catalyst supported on Al2O3, which has the highest acidity among the oxides considered here, showed the best activity with a turnover number (TON) of ˜108.8, without any co-catalyst. Furthermore, recycle tests of the catalysts revealed a TON of 69.3 for the Al2O3-supported catalyst after the third run. The strongly acidic sites in the Al2O3 support could be responsible for the strong adsorption of μ-nitrido diiron phthalocyanine, resulting in enhanced catalytic activity and stability.