Liquid-phase oxidation of betulin over supported Ag NPs catalysts: Kinetic regularities, catalyst deactivation and reactivation

Betulin, being a pentacyclic triterpene alcohol and an extractive from birch bark, along with its oxo-derivatives, has a broad range of physiological properties of interest for synthesis of pharmaceuticals. Instead of oxidizing betulin with strong and toxic oxidizing agents the present study shows a possibility of using liquid-phase oxidation of betulin with air over supported Ag NPs catalysts as an alternative method for synthesis of its oxo-derivatives. Based on catalytic studies, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, the evolution of the surface of nanosilver catalysts during the catalysis was demonstrated, as well as under the impact of reactant gas composition. The kinetic regularities and causes of deactivation of supported Ag NPs catalysts were revealed. An approach to the regeneration of silver catalysts was proposed. Kinetic analysis with numerical data fitting was performed resulting in an adequate description of the concentration dependencies.