The invention provides a preparation method and application of an amorphous
zirconium-doped
manganese oxide catalyst, and belongs to the field of organic catalytic synthesis. The catalyst is Zr-MnO2-x, and is rich in
lattice oxygen with
high activity and high stability; x is the
molar ratio of Zr to the sum of Mn and Zr, and x is larger than or equal to 0.2 and smaller than or equal to 0.6;
zirconium mainly exists in the form of
zirconium hydroxide. The preparation method comprises the following steps: slowly dropwise adding a mixed
salt solution of a zirconium source and a
manganese source into a precipitant under a continuous stirring condition, and carrying out a co-
precipitation reaction; after the reaction is completed, standing and aging, carrying out
solid-liquid separation and collecting a precipitate; and washing and
drying to obtain the amorphous zirconium-doped
manganese oxide catalyst which is used for catalyzing
aniline and derivatives thereof to synthesize
azobenzene compounds. According to the invention, the characteristic of'difunctional
lattice oxygen 'with
high activity and high stability is introduced through
zirconium doping, and the catalyst has the advantages of
high activity,
high selectivity, wide substrate applicability, excellent stability and
reusability and the like when used for catalytic synthesis of
azobenzene compounds.