Catalytic Conversion of 2‐ Methyl Phenol to Salicylaldehyde Using Manganese‐Oxide Doped Cellulose‐Derived Carbon Spheres

Abstract In this study, we report on the hydrothermal synthesis of MnO x ‐anchored carbon spheres as an effective catalyst. A new method is employed to prepare carbon spheres from cellulose. Using a solvent‐free process, the prepared catalyst is used to convert o‐cresol to salicylaldehyde. Methods including XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FE‐SEM, EDS mapping, and HR‐TEM are used to examine the structural and morphological characteristics of the catalyst. It is confirmed from the BET analysis that doping with MnO x increases the surface area of the carbon spheres. At standard atmospheric pressure, the conversion of o‐cresol to salicylaldehyde is highly selective due to the enhanced surface area and active sites of MnO x ‐doped carbon spheres. Under atmospheric pressure, the MnO x /CS catalysts show excellent efficiency, yielding 96% salicylaldehyde in under 1 h. This study underscores the feasibility of using MnO x ‐doped carbon spheres as a robust catalyst for the controlled oxidation of o‐cresol . The results show that the catalyst has a great deal of activity and effectiveness, as well as being cheap and reusable, which greatly increases its potential for real‐world catalytic applications.