Magnetically separable titanium-silicate mesoporous materials with core–shell morphology: synthesis, characterization and catalytic properties

The preparation and characterization (XRD, N2 adsorption, TEM, EDX, DRS-UV) of a novel catalytic material Ti-SMCMS (solid magnetic core–mesoporous shell) is reported. The material has quasi spherical particles with an ordered mesoporous silicate shell containing isolated Ti atoms and a silica core which, in turn, comprises superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles. The magnetic kernels are embedded in the nonporous silica core and, thus, are completely protected from ambient medium. The material was found to combine the advantages of high activity and selectivity in H2O2-based selective oxidations with the merits of an easy magnetic separation from the reaction mixture.