Benzyl alcohol oxidation with Pd-Zn/TiO: computational and experimental studies.

Pd-Zn/TiO catalysts containing 1 wt% total metal loading, but with different Pd to Zn ratios, were prepared using a modified impregnation method and tested in the solvent-free aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol. The catalyst with the higher Pd content exhibited an enhanced activity for benzyl alcohol oxidation. However, the selectivity to benzaldehyde was significantly improved with increasing presence of Zn.