Microbe‐Mediated Precision Doping of Transition Metal Oxide in Alumina Nanorods for Highly Selective Catalysis

We present a novel, mild, and environmentally friendly strategy for one‐pot precision doping of highly dispersed MO x (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) in Al 2 O 3 nanorods by Sporosarcina pasteurii ( S. pasteurii) ‐mediated urea enzymolysis. S. pasteurii shows better tolerance to the toxicity of M ions and ensures the complete enzymolysis of urea with the coexistence of those ions with Al(III), and thus facilitates the preparation of well‐shaped M(OH) x ‐NH 4 Al(OH) 2 CO 3 nanorods and uniform MO x ‐doping Al 2 O 3 nanorods after calcination. The growth process and structure of the proposed nanorods were fully discussed. The function of the typical Co 3 O 4 ‐Al 2 O 3 nanorods was evaluated by activation of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol (BA) to benzaldehyde (BAD). The catalysis of Co 3 O 4 ‐Al 2 O 3 nanorods gives BA conversion rate of 13.5 mmol g −1 h −1 , with 81.7% BA conversion and 75.2% BAD selectivity for 5 h reaction, while the combination of Co 3 O 4 ‐Al 2 O 3 nanorods and Br − promotes the generation of carbon centered radicals, significantly increases BA conversion rate to 21.4 mmol g −1 h −1 , with 90.0% BA conversion and 93.4% BAD selectivity for 3 h reaction. This work provides a novel approach to the biosynthesis of 1D nanomaterials and introduces a new concept of combination of Co 3 O 4 ‐Al 2 O 3 nanorods and Br − for PMS activation in selective catalytic oxidation.