Promoting toluene oxidation by engineering octahedral units via oriented insertion of Cu ions in the tetrahedral sites of MnCo spinel oxide catalysts.

Cu ions were deliberately introduced into the tetrahedral sites of MnCo spinel oxides by pyrolysis of Prussian blue analogues pre-doped with Cu. The as-synthesized catalysts deliver superior catalytic activity for toluene oxidation and excellent stability owing to the increase of octahedral metal ions and elongation of metal-oxygen bonds induced by the specific substitution of Cu.