Abstract: Conventionally, heterogeneous catalysts are mainly focused on the materials with large surface area such as TS-1 (350 m2•g－1),and the materials with relatively small surface area ( < 10 m2•g－1) are generally ignored. This review summarized the catalytic activities and mechanism in a series of oxidations by H2O2 or oxygen as oxidants over novel copper phosphates with very small surface area less than 1.4 m2•g－1.In the hydroxylation of phenol and benzene by H2O2, the high activities of this catalyst are comparable to those of TS-1. In epoxidation of styrene by H2O2, the selectivity for epoxide is much higher than that of TS-1. In hydroxylation of 2,3,6-trimethylphenol by H2O2, it showed good activity and high selectivity for trimethylhydroquinone. In oxidation of olefins and alcohols by O2, the catalysts exhibited remarkable catalytic results. The characterization of ESR and IR spectroscopy shows that hydroxyl radicals and peroxide species are important intermediates in these oxidations.

Key words: Copper phosphate, H₂O₂, O₂, Phenol hydroxylation, Olefins epoxidation, 　Alcohol oxidation, Hydroxyl radicals