• • The Cu/
[email protected] catalyst achieves 19.36% cyclohexane conversion and 73.28% adipic acid selectivity at 100 °C and 12 h, demonstrating a viable one-pot route that bypasses the conventional two-step nitric acid oxidation process.
• • Wood chips act as both carbon support precursor and in-situ reducing agent during pyrolysis, eliminating the need for external reducing agents and reducing overall catalyst synthesis cost.
• • The abundant defects in biomass carbon establish strong coordination with copper species, enhancing electronic interactions that improve catalytic activity and stability, as evidenced by the high selectivity to adipic acid.
• • The reaction proceeds via a free radical chain mechanism involving hydroxyl and alkyl radicals, providing mechanistic insight for further optimization of copper-based catalysts for C–H bond activation.