Air Oxygen activated and Efficient Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Terpinene Catalyzed by Multi metallic BiFeCo MOFs

Abstract

Heterometallic metal–organic frameworks bearing diverse metallic active sites show considerable promise for activating molecular oxygen catalytically, stemming from cooperative electronic interactions among distinct metal centres. Herein, a trimetallic MOF incorporating Bi³⁺, Fe³⁺ and Co²⁺ nodes was fabricated through a static solvothermal approach and subsequently deployed for the aerobic oxidative dehydrogenation of terpinene with high efficiency. Comprehensive characterisation of the synthesised Bi₂Fe₂Co₄-MOF-BDC-150-24 catalyst—encompassing XRD, IR spectroscopy, SEM, XPS and NH₃-TPD—verified its robust architecture and the existence of electronic synergy among the multiple metal constituents. Operating under near-ambient conditions and in the absence of any external additives, the catalyst selectively transformed the C–C σ-bond in terpinene into a C=C π-bond, furnishing a conversion level of 96.1 %. Furthermore, the material displayed broad substrate scope, delivering 97.2 % conversion for γ-terpinene and 93.9 % for phellandrene. Durability assessments revealed that the catalyst retained its high activity over five successive cycles, attesting to outstanding recyclability and considerable practical potential.