Titanium-germoxy precursor route to germanium-modified epoxidation catalysts with enhanced activity

Paul J. Cordeiro, Pascal Guillo, Charles S. Spanjers, Ji Woong Chang, Mike I. Lipschutz, Meg E. Fasulo, Robert M. Rioux, T. Don Tilley

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

26 Scopus citations

Abstract

The complex Ti[OGeiPr3]4 (1), prepared via the reaction of Ti(OiPr)4 with iPr 3GeOH, represents a useful structural and spectroscopic model for titanium-germanium species dispersed onto silica. This precursor was used to introduce site-isolated Ti(IV) centers onto the surface of a mesoporous SBA15 support via the thermolytic molecular precursor method. The local environments of the supported materials (TiGe3SBA15 and calcined TiGe 3SBA15-O2) were studied by various spectroscopic methods, including X-ray absorption spectroscopy. These materials are active catalysts for the epoxidation of cyclic and terminal olefins with alkyl hydroperoxides under anhydrous conditions. Compared to catalysts synthesized from siloxide-only precursors, the new catalysts produce 2-3 times more product after 9 h under identical reaction conditions for the epoxidations of cyclohexene and 1-octene. The new materials did not significantly leach under reaction conditions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2269-2279
Number of pages11
JournalACS Catalysis
Volume3
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 4 2013

Keywords

  • SBA15
  • epoxidation
  • germanium
  • site-isolated catalysts
  • titanium

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