The Band at “960”

Mesoporous silicas were modified with titanium alkoxide precursors. Results are consistent with a model that describes the resultant silica surface as a mixture of Si-OH groups, isolated Si-O-Ti type species, and oligomeric (-Ti-O-)n ensembles. Decreasing the rate of hydrolysis of the precursor by using chelated Ti-alkoxides increases the fraction of isolated Ti.