Isomorphous framework substitution

The catalytic properties of zeolites can be influenced by rearranging the Si and A1 atoms in the framework, modifying the Si/Al ratio, or by introducing other metal atoms into the framework (the latter is called isomorphous framework substitution). Knowledge of the location of the substitution site is desirable to better understand the catalytic behavior of substituted zeolites. This information is hard to obtain experimentally, so modeling studies have been devoted to isomorphous framework substitution. Some recent examples are given in Refs. 22-24. 

Framework substitution of Al, Si or P by a redox metal ion leads, in general to more stable redox molecular sieves (Figure 4). So-called isomorphous substitution, in udiich the metal ion is coordinated tetrahedrally by four oxygen atoms should be possible when the cuion/ oxygn between 0.22S and 0.414 [25]. It should be noted, however, tiiat the oxidation state of the metal and, hence, structure and charge of tire frameworic, may change substantially when an as-synthesized material is calcined. For example, Cr-substituted sieves generally contain Ci in the as-synthesized material but on calcination this is transformed to Cr. Since the latter contains two extra-framework Cr == O bonds it can only be anchored to a surface defect site rather than isomorphously substituted. By the same token, as-synthesized... 

Alternatively, framework substitution can be achieved by post-synthesis modification of molecular sieves, e.g. via direct substitution of A1 in zeolites by treatment with TiCl4 in the vapour phase [34] or by dealumination followed by reoccupation of the vacant silanol nests. Boron-containing molecular sieves are more amenable to post-synthesis modification than the isomorphous zeolites since boron is readily extracted from the framework under mild conditions [35]. Synthesis of framework-substituted molecular sieves via post-synthesis modification has the advantage that it is applicable to commercially available molecular sieves which have already been optimized for use as catalysts. 

Several framework titanium-substituted mesoporous silicates, including Ti-MCM-41 (42,43), Ti-HMS (198), Ti-MCM-36 (180), Ti-MCM-48 (199), and Ti-SBA-15 (200), have shown promising activity for the epoxidation of bulky olefins with alkyl hydroperoxides as oxidants. Unfortunately, compared with the microporous MFI-type titanium silicates, the mesoporous materials exhibit low activity for epoxidation reactions. The hydrophilic nature of mesoporous silica catalysts with isomorphous titanium substitution is considered to be one of the major reasons for the low activity (179). Various attempts have been made to improve the activity. Using a different synthetic procedure, titanium species have been grafted onto... 

A) In the area of isomorphous replacement, there is need to measure quantitatively the extent to which such elements as B, Fe, Cr, Be, and the like can replace Al, P, and Si in 3-dimensional frameworks and the extent to which they are present merely as detrital material. It should also be established how such framework substitutions vary with temperature, according to the physicochemical background theory, and whether pH and other factors can also influence the extent of genuine framework substitution. 

For reasons of brevity, the important area of isomorphous substitution by direct crystal growth [76] has not been discussed, except for A1 and Si. Framework substitutions of A1 by Ga and Si by Ge can be extensive or complete also, limited substitution of A1 by Fe, Cr and... 

The isomorphic substituted aluminum atom within the zeolite framework has a negative charge that is compensated by a counterion. When the counterion is a proton, a Bronsted acid site is created. Moreover, framework oxygen atoms can give rise to weak Lewis base activity. Noble metal ions can be introduced by ion exchanging the cations after synthesis. Incorporation of metals like Ti, V, Fe, and Cr in the framework can provide the zeolite with activity for redox reactions. 

Nowadays there is a general consensus that the Ti(IV) atoms are incorporated as isolated centers into the framework and are substituting Si atoms in the tetrahedral positions forming [Ti04] units. The model of isomorphous substitution has been put forward on the basis of several independent characterization techniques, namely X-ray [21-23] or neutron [24-26] diffraction studies, IR (Raman) [52-57], UV-Vis [38,54,58], EXAFS, and XANES [52, 58-62] spectroscopies. 

In the present study isomorphic substitution of Al with Sn [11-13] in the silicalite framework was attempted in order to induce catalytic functionalities and these catalysts was studied for Baeyer-Villiger oxidation of 2-adamantanone and norboranone. 

The ZSM5 (Si/Al=40) as base zeolite was prepared by us. Cu was built in the framework by solid phase ion-exchange, Cr by conventional ion-exchange. Ni-samples were obtained by both methods. Ti-ZSM5 was synthesized by isomorphic substitution [8]. 

Macedo et al. [227] studied HY zeolites dealuminated by steaming, and found that the strength of intermediate sites decreased with increasing dealumination for Si/Al ratios varying from 8 to greater than 100. For comparison, isomorphously substituted HY, which is free of extra-framework cationic species, possesses more acid sites than conventionally dealuminated solids with a similar framework Si/Al ratio [227], This is because some of the extra-framework aluminum species act as charge-compensating cations and therefore decrease the number of potential acid sites. 

Recently, the preparation of metallosilicates with MFI structure, which are composed of silicone oxide and metal oxide substituted isomorphously to aluminium oxide, has been studied actively [1,2]. It is expected that acid sites of different strength from those of aluminosilicate are generated when some tri-valent elements other than aluminium are introduced into the framework of silicalite. The Bronsted acid sites of metallosilicates must be Si(0H)Me, so the facility of heterogeneous rupture of the OH bond should be due to the properties of the metal element. Therefore, the acidity of metallosilicate could be controlled by choosing the metal element. Moreover, the transition-metal elements introduced into the zeolite framework play specific catalytic roles. For example, Ti-silicate with MFI structure has the high activity and selectivity for the hydroxylation of phenol to produce catechol and hydroquinon [3],... 

Figure 1 shows the FT-1R spectra of samples dispersed in KBr. All the spectra display a strong band at 960 cm 1. This band has been assigned to Si-O-Ti bonds [14] or to Si-OH groups [15, 16]. It is usually taken as the evidence for isomorphous substitution of Si by Ti, but it cannot be used to determine quantitatively the content of titanium into the framework of mesoporous materials [17]. In addition, the broad pattern between 3700 and 3000 cm 1, originated from hydrogen-bonded surface OH groups as well as from adsorbed H20 [18], decreases dramatically in the silylated samples. 

Recently, there has been a growing interest into niobium- and tantalum-containing molecular sieves. The introduction of niobium into mesoporous molecular sieves has been studied by Ziolek et al [3,4], while Antonelli and Ying reported the synthesis of mesoporous niobium oxide [5], The synthesis and characterization of niobium- and tantalum-containing silicalite-1 (NbS-1 and TaS-1) was published recently [6,7,8] and some evidence has been presented for isomorphous substitution [6,8] of Nb and Ta into the silicalite-1 framework. The synthesis of NbS-2 (MEL) [9] and a new molecular sieve named NbAM-11 have been reported as well [10],... 

MCM-41 and silicalite-1 can be synthesized in the presence of niobium- and tantalum-containing compounds. The results indicated that Nb(V) and Ta(V) are well dispersed in the framework of silicalite-1 and in the amorphous walls of MCM-41 y-irradiation of activated niobium and tantalum molecular sieves show two radiation induced hole centers (V centers) located on Si-O-Si and M-O-Si (M = Nb, Ta) units. True isomorphous substitution as suggested in the literature for Ti(IV), however, is unlikely to be present Nevertheless, interesting chemical and catalytic properties can be expected from these systems and are subject to further studies... 

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