Abstract: Organic-inorganic hybrid catalysts were prepared by combining laurylamine (or octadecylamine) and molybdovanadophosphoric acid, and their catalytic performance for the hydroxylation of benzene to phenol was evaluated using molecular oxygen as the oxidant in a pressured batch reactor. The laurylamine-modified heteropolyacid catalyst with a 4:1 molar ratio for the two moieties exhibited a much higher yield of phenol (11.5%) than that of the neat heteropolyacid H5PMo10V2O40 (3.9%). We discuss the promotional effect of the long chain aliphatic amines with regards to the interaction between the amine and the heteropolyacid framework, and we also discuss the ¨pseudo-liquid phase〃 behavior of the heteropolyacid.

Key words: heteropolyacid, aliphatic amine, organic-inorganic hybrid catalyst, benzene, hydroxylation, phenol