Nanocrystalline Magnesium Oxide as a Versatile Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Meerwein-Ponndorf-Verley Reduction of Cyclohexanone into Cyclohexanol: Effect of Preparation Method of Magnesium Oxide on Yield

The Meerwein–Ponndorf–Verley (MPV) reaction of cyclohexanone with 2-propanol in the liquid phase in the presence of two different nanocrystalline magnesium oxides, prepared by different methods, was investigated. The catalyst consisting of nanocrystalline magnesium oxide, which was prepared by calcination of magnesium methoxide in air at 400 °C, showed the highest activity in the conversion of cyclohexanone to cyclohexanol with 97% yield. The effect of calcination temperature of magnesium oxide on the cyclohexanol yield and reusability of the catalyst has been studied.