Selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols with supported Pt nanoparticles: effect of particle size and bismuth promotion

Oxidation reactions are a cornerstone of the chemical industry, enabling the synthesis of bulk commodities and high-value fine chemicals, where catalytic processes play a crucial role. With the demand to establish more sustainable approaches, developing more selective and robust aerobic oxidation processes, particularly using heterogeneous catalysis, remains of contemporary relevance. Herein, we report the synthesis of well-defined PtBi nanoparticles supported on functionalized carbon <i>via</i> surface organometallic chemistry (SOMC) and their use as heterogeneous catalysts for aerobic alcohol oxidation. Our study demonstrates that alloying of Pt with Bi, as well as increasing the nanoparticle size, enhances the catalytic stability and mitigates active-site poisoning during aerobic alcohol oxidation. The best-performing catalyst reaches 93% conversion and 98% selectivity over multiple cycles in the oxidation of prenol, an industrially relevant intermediate.