Gold Nanoparticles Deposited on Surface Modified Carbon Xerogels as Reusable Catalysts for Cyclohexane C-H Activation in the Presence of CO and Water.

The use of gold as a promotor of alkane hydrocarboxylation is reported for the first time. Cyclohexane hydrocarboxylation to cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (up to 55% yield) with CO, water, and peroxodisulfate in a water/acetonitrile medium at circa 50 °C has been achieved in the presence of gold nanoparticles deposited by a colloidal method on a carbon xerogel in its original form (CX), after oxidation with HNO₃ (-ox), or after oxidation with HNO₃ and subsequent treatment with NaOH (-ox-Na). Au/CX-ox-Na behaves as re-usable catalyst maintaining its initial activity and selectivity for at least seven consecutive cycles.