On the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol with Pd/Au-nanoparticles in batch and flow

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Nanoparticles (NP) have specific catalytic properties, which are influenced by parameters like their size, shape, or composition. Bimetallic NPs, composed of two metal elements can show an improved catalytic activity compared to the monometallic NPs. We, herein, report on the selective aerobic oxidation of benzyl alcohol catalyzed by unsupported Pd/Au and Pd NPs at atmospheric pressure. NPs of varying compositions were synthesized and characterized by UV/Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The NPs were tested in the model reaction regarding their catalytic activity, stability, and recyclability in batch and continuous procedure. Additionally, <jats:italic>in situ</jats:italic> extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) measurements were performed in order to get insight in the process during NP catalysis.</jats:p>