Well hexagonally ordered NbSBA-15 catalysts synthesized by an efficient hydrothermal method were used, for the first time, for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3) by liquid-phase oxidation of 2-methyl-1-naphthol (2MN1-OH) under various reaction conditions. The recyclable NbSBA-15 catalysts were also reused to find their catalytic activities. To investigate the leaching of non-framework niobium species on the surface of silica networks, the results of original and recyclable NbSBA-15 catalysts were correlated and compared. To find an optimum condition for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3), the washed NbSBA-15(2.2pH) was extensively used in this reaction with various reaction parameters such as temperature, time and ratios of reactant (2M1N-OH to H(2)O(2)), and the obtained results were also demonstrated. Additionally, the liquid-phase oxidation of 2M1N-OH was carried out with different solvents to find the best solvent with a good catalytic activity. Based on the all catalytic studies, the vitamin K(3) selectivity (97.3%) is higher in NbSBA-15(2.2pH) than that of other NbSBA-15 catalysts, and the NbSBA-15(2.2pH) is found to be a highly active and eco-friendly heterogeneous catalyst for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3).
