Reactivity of Ti(iv) species hosted in TS-1 towards H2O2–H2O solutions investigated by ab initio cluster and periodic approaches combined with experimental XANES and EXAFS data: a review and new highlights

IMPACT OF COMPOSITION AND STRUCTURAL PARAMETERS ON THE CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF MFI TYPE TITANOSILIKALITES

Titanosilicalite of the MFI type was obtained by the hydrothermal method. Its initial and annealed at 75oC (TS-1P(75)) and 500oC (TS-1P(500)) forms were studied by X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), X-ray...

Titanium-Anchored Gold on Silica for Enhanced Catalytic Activity in Aqueous Ethanol Oxidation

The heterogeneously catalyzed oxidation of bioethanol offers a promising route to bio-based acetic acid. Here, we assess an alternative method to support gold nanoparticles, which aims to improve selectivity to acetic acid through minimizing over-oxidation to carbon dioxide. The most promising support system is 5 wt % titanium on silica, which combines the high surface area of silica with the stabilizing effect of titania on the gold particles. Compared to gold–silica systems, which require a complex synthesis method, small quantities of titanium promoted the formation of gold nanoparticles during a simple deposition–precipitation. Characterization of the catalyst with X-ray absorption spectroscopy shows that titanium is highly dispersed in the form of small, possibly dimeric, titanium(IV) structures, which are isolated and stabilize gold nanoparticles, possibly minimizing sintering effects during synthesis. The size of the gold particles depends on the pre-treatment of the titanium–silica support before gold deposition, with larger titanium structures hosting larger gold particles. Acetic acid yield over the titanium–silica-supported gold systems improved by about 1.6 times, compared to pure titania-supported gold. The high activity of those catalysts suggests that bulk, crystalline titania is not required for the reaction, encouraging the use of mixed supports to combine their benefits. Those support systems, besides improving selectivity, offer high surface area and a low-cost filler material, which brings ethanol oxidation one step further to the industry. Additionally, the low loading of titanium permits studying the reaction mechanisms on the gold–titanium interface with bulk characterization techniques.

Titanosilicate zeolite precursors for highly efficient oxidation reactions

Titanosilicate zeolites are catalysts of interest in the field of fine chemicals. However, the generation and accessibility of active sites in titanosilicate materials for catalyzing reactions with large molecules is still a challenge. Herein, we prepared titanosilicate zeolite precursors with open zeolitic structures, tunable pore sizes, and controllable Si/Ti ratios through a hydrothermal crystallization strategy by using quaternary ammonium templates. A series of quaternary ammonium ions are discovered as effective organic templates. The prepared amorphous titanosilicate zeolites with some zeolite framework structural order have extra-large micropores and abundant octahedrally coordinated isolated Ti species, which lead to a superior catalytic performance in the oxidative desulfurization of dibenzothiophene (DBT) and epoxidation of cyclohexene. It is anticipated that the amorphous prezeolitic titanosilicates will benefit the catalytic conversion of bulky molecules in a wide range of reaction processes.

Titanosilicate zeolite precursors, with open structures of zeolite units and high amounts of catalytically active Ti species, show superior catalytic performance in the oxidative reactions.

In Situ Hydrogen Peroxide Production for Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol over a Pd@Hierarchical Titanium Silicalite Catalyst

Using in situ generated H2O2 is potentially an effective approach for benzyl alcohol selective oxidation. While the microporous titanium silicate (TS-1) supported with Pd is promising for selective oxidation, the Pd particles are preferentially anchored on the external surface, which leads to the problems such as non-uniform dispersion and low thermal stability. Here, we prepared a Pd@HTS-1 catalyst in which the Pd subnanoparticles were encapsulated in the channels of the hierarchical TS-1 (HTS-1), for benzyl alcohol selective oxidation with in situ produced H2O2. We find that the oxidation rate of benzyl alcohol by in situ H2O2 over the Pd@HTS-1 is up to 4268.8 mmol h-1 kgcat -1, and the selectivity of benzaldehyde approaches 100%. In contrast to the conventional Pd/HTS-1, the present Pd@HTS-1 benefits the benzyl alcohol selective oxidation due to the increased dispersion of Pd particles (forming uniformly dispersed subnano-sized particles), as well as the confinement effect and hierarchical porosity of the HTS-1 host. We further suggested that hydrogen peroxide produced in situ from the molecular hydrogen and oxygen over the Pd sites can be spilled over to the framework Ti4+ sites, forming the Ti-OOH active species, which selectively oxidizes the chemisorbed benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde on the Pd sites.

Oxidation of Furfural and Furan Derivatives to Maleic Acid in the Presence of a Simple Catalyst System Based on Acetic Acid and TS-1 and Hydrogen Peroxide

Titanium silicate molecular sieve (TS-1) and acetic acid efficiently catalyze the oxidation of furan and furan derivatives to the corresponding maleic acid (MA) in very good yields using hydrogen peroxide as an oxidizing agent. The effect of various solvents, the effect of temperature, reaction time, concentration of hydrogen peroxide, and quantities of the catalyst on the MA yield was studied. With the best conditions, MA is the sole product obtained after a fast and simple purification by filtration and evaporation. Compared to the previously reported methods, this work is a good compromise between the different reaction parameters and offers a good alternative to the production of biosourced MA.

Highly efficient hydrogen peroxide direct synthesis over a hierarchical TS-1 encapsulated subnano Pd/PdO hybrid

We report a hierarchical TS-1 encapsulated subnano Pd/PdO hybrid catalyst that shows unprecedented activity in H2O2 direct synthesis from H2 and O2. The macro reaction rate in 30 min is up to 35 010 mmol gPd -1 h-1 at ambient temperature. Such high catalytic activity is achieved due to the hierarchical porous structure of TS-1 and the formation of the encapsulated subnano Pd/PdO hybrid after oxidation/reduction/oxidation treatment.

New trends in tailoring active sites in zeolite-based catalysts

This review discusses approaches for tailoring active sites in extra-large pore, nanocrystalline, and hierarchical zeolites and their performance in emerging catalytic applications.

Ti-Based Catalysts and Photocatalysts: Characterization and Modeling

This perspective article aims to underline how cutting-edge synchrotron radiation spectroscopies such as extended X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS), X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), high resolution fluorescence detected (HRFD) XANES, X-ray emission spectroscopy (XES) and resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (RIXS) have played a key role in the structural and electronic characterization of Ti-based catalysts and photocatalysts, representing an important additional value to the outcomes of conventional laboratory spectroscopies (UV-Vis, IR, Raman, EPR, NMR etc.). Selected examples are taken from the authors research activity in the last two decades, covering both band-gap and shape engineered TiO₂ materials and microporous titanosilicates (ETS-10, TS-1 and Ti-AlPO-5). The relevance of the state of the art simulation techniques as a support for experiments interpretation is underlined for all the reported examples.

From 3D to 2D zeolite catalytic materials

Research activities and recent developments in the area of three-dimensional zeolites and their two-dimensional analogues are reviewed. Zeolites are the most important industrial heterogeneous catalysts with numerous applications. However, they suffer from limited pore sizes not allowing penetration of sterically demanding molecules to their channel systems and to active sites. We briefly highlight here the synthesis, properties and catalytic potential of three-dimensional zeolites followed by a discussion of hierarchical zeolites combining micro- and mesoporosity. The final part is devoted to two-dimensional analogues developed recently. Novel bottom-up and top-down synthetic approaches for two-dimensional zeolites, their properties, and catalytic performances are thoroughly discussed in this review.

An amphiphilic composite material of titanosilicate@mesosilica/carbon as a Pickering catalyst

A hierarchically core/shell-structured TS-1@silica/carbon composite material, synthesized from titanosilicate crystals and surfactant-mediated mesosilica/resol precursors via a self-assembly and nanocasting route, was fabricated to produce stable oil-water-solid Pickering emulsions in alkene/H2O2 media, exhibiting attractive interfacial activity and stability for selective epoxidation of alkenes.

Outer-Sphere Control of Catalysis on Surfaces: A Comparative Study of Ti(IV) Single-Sites Grafted on Amorphous versus Crystalline Silicates for Alkene Epoxidation

The effect of outer-sphere environment on alkene epoxidation catalysis using an organic hydroperoxide oxidant is demonstrated for calix[4]arene-Ti^IV single-sites grafted on amorphous vs crystalline delaminated zeotype (UCB-4) silicates as supports. A chelating calix[4]arene macrocyclic ligand helps enforce a constant Ti^IV inner-sphere, as characterized by UV-visible and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, thus enabling the rigorous comparison of outer-sphere environments across different siliceous supports. These outer-sphere environments are characterized by solid-state ¹H NMR spectroscopy to comprise proximally organized silanols confined within 12 membered-ring cups in crystalline UCB-4, and are responsible for up to 5-fold enhancements in rates of epoxidation by Ti^IV centers.

Porous metallosilicates for heterogeneous, liquid-phase catalysis: perspectives and pertaining challenges

Porous silicates containing dilute amounts of tri-, tetra- and penta-valent metal sites, such as TS-1, Sn-β and Fe-ZSM-5, have recently emerged as state of the art catalysts for a variety of sustainable chemical transformations. In contrast with their aluminosilicate cousins, which are widely employed throughout the refinery industry for gas-phase catalytic transformations, such metallosilicates have exhibited unprecedented levels of performance for a variety of liquid-phase catalytic processes, including the conversion of biomass to chemicals, and sustainable oxidation technologies with H2O2. However, despite their unique levels of performance for these new types of chemical transformations, increased utilization of these promising materials is complicated by several factors. For example, their utilization in a liquid, and often polar, medium hinders process intensification (scale-up, catalyst deactivation). Moreover, such materials do not generally exhibit the active-site homogeneity of conventional aluminosilicates, and they typically possess a wide variety of active-site ensembles, only some of which may be directly involved in the catalytic chemistry of interest. Consequently, mechanistic understanding of these catalysts remains relatively low, and competitive reactions are commonly observed. Accordingly, unified approaches towards developing more active, selective and stable porous metallosilicates have not yet been achieved. Drawing on some of the most recent literature in the field, the purpose of this mini review is both to highlight the breakthroughs made with regard to the use of porous metallosilicates as heterogeneous catalysts for liquid-phase processing, and to highlight the pertaining challenges that we, and others, aim to overcome during the forthcoming years.

Stability of mixed-oxide titanosilicates: dependency on size and composition from nanocluster to bulk

Nanostructured titanosilicate materials based upon interfacing nano-TiO₂ with nano-SiO₂ have drawn much attention due to their huge potential for applications in a diverse range of important fields including gas sensing, (photo)catalysis, solar cells, photonics/optical components, tailored multi-(bio)functional supports and self-cleaning coatings. In each case it is the specific mixed combination of the two SiO₂ and TiO₂ nanophases that determines the unique properties of the final nanomaterial. In the bulk, stoichiometric mixing of TiO₂ with SiO₂ is limited by formation of segregated TiO₂ nanoparticles or metastable glassy phases and more controlled disperse crystalline mixings only occur at small fractions of TiO₂ (<15 wt%). In order to more fully understand the stability of nano-SiO₂ and nano-TiO₂ combinations with respect to composition and size, we employ accurate all-electron density functional calculations to evaluate the mixing energy in (Ti_xSi_1-xO₂)_n nanoclusters with a range of sizes (n = 2-24) having different titania molar fractions (x = 0-1). We derive all nanoclusters from a dedicated global optimisation procedure to help ensure that they are the most energetically stable structures for their size and composition. We also consider a selection of representative intimately mixed crystalline solid phase (Ti_xSi_1-xO₂)_bulk systems for comparison. In agreement with experiment, we find that homogeneous mixing of SiO₂ and TiO₂ in bulk crystalline phases is energetically unfavourable. Conversely, we find that SiO₂-TiO₂ mixing is energetically favoured in small (Ti_xSi_1-xO₂)_n nanoclusters. Following the evolution of mixing energy with nanocluster size and composition we find that mixing is most favoured in nanoclusters with a diameter of 1 nm with TiO₂ molar fractions between 0.3-0.5. Thereafter, mixed nanoclusters with increasing size have progressively less negative mixing energies up to diameters of approximately 1.5 nm. We propose some chemical-structural principles to help rationale this energetically favourable nanoscale mixing. As a guide for experimentalists to observe and characterize these mixed nano-species we also provide two measurable signatures of mixing based on their unique vibrational and structural characteristics.

Two titanium(iv)-oxo-clusters: synthesis, structures, characterization and recycling catalytic activity in the oxygenation of sulfides

Two titanium(iv)-oxo-clusters were synthesized and can be used as homogeneous recycling catalysts in the oxygenation of sulfides.

Lewis Acid Zeolites for Biomass Conversion: Perspectives and Challenges on Reactivity, Synthesis, and Stability

Zeolites containing Sn, Ti, Zr, Hf, Nb, or Ta heteroatoms are versatile catalysts for the activation and conversion of oxygenated molecules owing to the unique Lewis acid character of their tetrahedral metal sites. Through fluoride-mediated synthesis, hydrophobic Lewis acid zeolites can behave as water-tolerant catalysts, which has resulted in a recent surge of experimental and computational studies in the field of biomass conversion. However, many open questions still surround these materials, especially relating to the nature of their active sites. This lack of fundamental understanding is exemplified by the many dissonant results that have been described in recent literature reports. In this review, we use a molecular-based approach to provide insight into the relationship between the structure of the metal center and its reactivity toward different substrates, with the ultimate goal of providing a robust framework to understand the properties that have the strongest influence on catalytic performance for the conversion of oxygenates.

A novel route for preparation of Mn-containing hollow framework TS-1, and its selective allylic oxidation of cyclohexene

TS-1 (MTS-1) was prepared via simple recrystallization of TS-1 in the presence of TPAOH and manganese(iii)–acetylacetonate, and its catalytic performance was tested for aerobic oxidation of cyclohexene without solvents.