Enhancing the activity of gold supported catalysts by oxide coating: towards efficient oxidations

Abstract

Core–shell SiO₂@Au@TiO₂ materials have shown excellent catalytic performances in the base-free oxidation of furfural (FF) to furoic acid (FA). The enhanced catalytic behaviour with respect to that observed over supported SiO₂@TiO₂@Au catalysts suggests a key role of the TiO₂ shell, which could prevent Au deactivation by irreversible FA adsorption, improve metal–oxide interaction and presumably, give rise to the formation of new active sites located at the perimeter of the Au–TiO₂ interface.