The influences of Al species and Ti species on the catalytic epoxidation over Si/Ti-pillared MCM-36 synthesized from MCM-22

A novel mesopore silica-aluminium material, i.e., Si/Ti-MCM-36 derivatives were prepared with Si/Ti mixed oxide as a pillar. The influences of acidity from Al species and the coordination state of Ti species on the catalytic cylcohexene epoxidation with t-butylhydroperoxide (TBHP) as the oxidant were investigated. The mesoporous structures were confirmed by XRD and N2 ads/desorption experiment. The acidity and surface polarity were characterized by NH3-TPD, 27Al 2D MQ MAS NMR and 29Si MAS NMR. The Ti coordination state was identified with UV-Vis spectra. By using 27Al 2D MQ MAS NMR technique, the Al species from the different eight crystallographically T (Si, Al) positions of MWW zeolite were identified, which are associated with bridging hydroxyl groups such as the Bronsted acid site. It was found that the Si/Ti-MCM-36 samples, whether with tetrahedrally (Td) or octahedrally (Oh) coordinated state Ti species, are all inactive for the cyclohexene epoxidation. A further acid treatment of the Si/Ti-MCM-36 samples can greatly expel Al species from the MWW structure, which largely decrease the acidity and transfer the acid-catalyzed decomposition of t-butylhydroperoxide to Ti catalyzed cyclohexene epoxidation. It shows that not only the amount of Al species but also their framework crystallographic positions have a great influence on the epoxidation activity. Furthermore, the grafting of the tetra-isopropoxide on the acid treated Si/Ti-MCM-36 can increase its hydrophobicity and epoxidation activity. Moreover, the Td TiO4 in the units has been confirmed to be the most active site for the epoxidation reaction.