Stable Non-Covalent Co(Salphen)-Based Polymeric Catalyst for Highly Efficient and Selective Oxidation of 2,3,6-Trimethylphenol

Developing highly efficient catalyst systems for phenol–quinone transformation is of great significance in the chemical/biological industries. Herein, we reported a novel heterogenous catalytic system based on Co(Salphen) supramolecular polymers (CSP), which delivered an excellent catalytic performance in the oxidation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol (TMP) under mild conditions. The CSP were constructed through a simple self-assembled process between BiCo(Salphen) complex and 4,4-dipyridine. By applying BiCo-BiPy1:1 CSP as the catalyst, 2,3,5-trimethyl-1,4-benzoquinone (TMBQ) could be obtained with an excellent conversion (>99%) and selectivity over 99% under mild reaction conditions (30 °C, 0.1 MPa). In addition, it can be recycled at least five times without substantial decline in catalytic activities (conversion and selectivity), suggesting its excellent stability and recyclability. This work may provide guidance on designing and building valuable catalysts for environmentally friendly and cost-effective oxidation reactions.