Metal framework-containing zeotype industry

In this section, the catalytic chemistry of selected framework metal-containing zeotype materials is reviewed, with an emphasis on commercial applications. The catalytic activities of framework metal-containing zeotype materials, especially those containing titanium, vanadium, or tin, have been investigated extensively. The enormous interest in these materials is attributed to their remarkable catalytic activities and especially their selectivities in oxidation reactions. Because hydrogen peroxide is generally used as the oxidant, water is formed as a by-product. Hence, oxidation reactions carried out with these catalysts can be considered environmentally clean processes. Several review articles have been published that summarize the catalytic reactions (2a,3b-d,89). In this section, the focus is on selected industrially relevant reactions. 

However, there is still opportunity for the commercialization of new processes using framework metal-containing zeotype materials. It is remarkable that in this particular research field the successful commerciafization has been achieved partly as a result of cooperation between scientists in academic groups and industrial researchers. For example, such cooperation played a role in the development of the PO processes. However, the costs involved in the syntheses of metal-containing zeotype materials (mainly due to SDAs and other reagents), and frequently the costs associated with both scale-up and manufacture, have tended to inhibit wide application of these new materials. As a result, new materials are finding initial catalytic applications only in specialty apphcations (i.e., production of high value-added products) or niche areas. 

We beheve that future developments of environmentally friendly processes using framework metal-containing zeotype materials will only be achieved when the following challenges are met by academia and industry. Primarily for Academia ... 

Both academic and industrial research and development, as well as cooperation between industries, has resulted in a large effort in the discovery, synthesis, and catalytic application of framework metal-containing zeotype materials. These collaborations have led to new appHcations of metal-containing zeotype materials for the large-scale production of chemicals without major by-product formation. New environmentally friendly processes such as propylene epoxidation, phenol hydroxylation, ammoximation of cyclohexanone, and aromatization of light paraffins have been commer-ciahzed. Many new developments are in the pipehne, and they will Hkely be commerciahzed when both the economics and the environmental requirements become favorable. 

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