▎ 摘 要
Core-shell structural magnetic nanocatalysts, involving carbon-coated magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles supported on graphene oxide sheets (mildly reduced graphene oxide (MRGO)/Fe3O4@C) and carbonaceous coatings on magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@C), for immobilizing metal (Cu-II, Co-II, Fe-III or VOIV)-salen complexes were prepared by a facile, green, and efficient chemical approach and first applied in the aerobic epoxidation of styrene with air as the oxidizing agent. The prepared catalysts were characterized by different techniques, such as XRD, TEM, FTIR spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy, TEM, thermogravimetric analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The magnetic nanocatalysts MRGO/Fe3O4@C-salen-M (M=Cu, Co, Fe, or V) exhibited higher catalytic reactivity than that of the corresponding Fe3O4@C-salen-M (M=Cu, Co, Fe, or V) species possibly owing to site isolation, good dispersion of magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles, and an efficiently synergistic effect between the metal complexes and the supports. Furthermore, MRGO/Fe3O4@C-salen-Co exhibited up to 92.3% conversion of styrene and 59.2% selectivity to the styrene oxide upon using air as the oxidizing agent and showed good recoverability with negligible loss in activity and selectivity within successive runs owing to superparamagnetism. Most importantly, these materials can be easily recovered by simple magnetic separation.