Catalysis with Tailored Microenvironment

Prepared post synthetic modifications of MOFs as described below have led to the ereation of a new microenvironment inside their porous network for accelerating the rates of specific reactions and enhancing the selectivity to the desired product. 

The encapsulation of active species such as metal complexes or metal nanopartieles (MNPs) inside the porous MOFs is of growing interest in the catalysis commimity because MOFs can provide a large pore volume that can accommodate guest molecules. Here the MOF porous framework is used as a 

BASF is industrially producing MOF-5 mainly for encapsulating platinum, palladium, copper, and gold nanoparticles for catalysis applications. The Pd MOF-5 is used as a heterogeneous catalyst in hydrogenation reactions, specifically hydrogenation of cyclooctene, while Cu MOF-5 is used in methanol production from syngas [80]. 

FIGURE 3.10 The catalytic activities of polyoxotungstate-encapsulated MIL-101 (PW /MILlOl) for selective oxidation of alkenes with aqueous hydrogen peroxide [85]. (Reproduced fiomN. V. Maksimchuk,N.V. et sH.,InorgChem 49,2920-2930 (2010), with permission). 

Industrial Catalysis and Separations Innovations for Process Intensification 

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This is relatively the most intense area of research in exploring the microenvironments within and around catalyst particles. The authors examined [8] the prospects of tailoring the catalyst microenvironment while reviewing the scientific advances made in the sulfuric acid fi ee toluene nitration employing solid acid catalysis. Haouas et al., [9] carried out toluene nitration with nitric acid and acetic anhydride employing H Beta Zeolite catalyst. They attributed the enhancement of para-selectivity in the mononitro toluenes to the transformation of lattice aluminum framework of the catalyst from a tetrahedral (TH)... 

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