Porous silica nano-flowers stabilized PtPd bimetallic nanoparticles as heterogeneous catalyst for efficiently synthesizing guaiacol from 2-methoxycyclohexanol

• PtPd bimetallic nanoparticles supported on porous silica nano-flowers (KCC-1) exhibit superior catalytic activity for guaiacol synthesis via dehydrogenation of 2-methoxycyclohexanol. • The optimal catalyst (2.5%Pt-2.5%Pd/KCC-1) achieves 97.2% conversion and 76.8% selectivity, outperforming monometallic counterparts due to synergistic effects. • The catalyst demonstrates high stability and a turnover frequency of 4.36 s−1, indicating excellent efficiency for continuous fixed-bed reactor applications. • The study proposes reaction pathways for dehydro-aromatization, providing insights for green and sustainable guaiacol production.