Redox behavior and selective oxidation properties of mesoporous titano- and zirconosilicate MCM-41 molecular sieves

Abstract

Mesoporous titano- and zirconosilicate molecular sieves, Ti-MCM-41 and Zr-MCM-41, respectively, with Si/M ratios in the range from 11 to 96 (M=Ti or Zr), have been synthesized by the hydrothermal method and characterized by XRD, XRF, N₂ adsorption and diffusive reflectance UV-Vis (DRUV-Vis), FT-IR and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectroscopic techniques. The redox behavior and selective oxidation properties of these materials have been investigated. ESR of samples reduced with LiAlH₄ (298 K) and H₂ (673-873 K) reveals two types of metal ion species: species I' located inside the pore walls and species I'' located at the pore surface. The reduced species I" are highly reactive towards oxygen and form M(O₂^−·) radicals. The M(O₂^−·) radicals were also observed when the samples were reacted with aqueous H₂O₂ or tert-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP). ESR studies reveal that Ti-MCM-41 is easier to reduce and reoxidize than Zr-MCM-41. The DRUV-Vis spectra are consistent with a monoatomic dispersion of the metal ions. In the samples with high metal loading the presence of a nanocrystalline metal oxide phase cannot be ruled out. Both Ti-MCM-41 and Zr-MCM-41 catalyze the hydroxylation of 1-naphthol with aqueous H₂O₂ and the epoxidation of norbornylene with TBHP.