Shape-selective properties

The separation of fmctose from glucose illustrates the interaction between the framework stmcture and the cation (Fig. 5) (50). Ca " is known to form complexes with sugar molecules such as fmctose. Thus, Ca—Y shows a high selectivity for fmctose over glucose. However, Ca—X does not exhibit high selectivity. On the other hand, K—X shows selectivity for glucose over fmctose. This polar nature of faujasites and their unique shape-selective properties, more than the molecular-sieving properties, make them most useful as practical adsorbents. 

A modified ZSM-5 catalyst has a unique shape-selective property for producing -ethyltoluene [622-96-8] selectively by the alkylation of toluene [108-88-3] with ethylene (54). j )-Ethyltoluene is an intermediate in the production of poly -methylstyrene) [24936-41-2] (PPMS), which is reported to have... 

To improve the yield of mono- and dimethylamines, a shape selective catalyst has been tried. Carhogenic sieves are microporous materials (similar to zeolites), which have catalytic as well as shape selective properties. Comhining the amorphous aluminum silicate catalyst (used for producing the amines) with carhogenic sieves gave higher yeilds of the more valuable MMA and DMA. ... 

TS-1-catalyzed processes are advantageous from the environmental point of view as the oxidant is aqueous hydrogen peroxide, which turns into water, and the reactions are operated in liquid phase under mild conditions, showing very high selectivity and yields, thus reducing problems and the costs of by-product treatments. Confinement of the metal species in the well-defined MFl pore system endows TS-1 with shape selectivity properties analogous to enzymes. For these features the application of the terms mineral enzyme or zeozyme to TS-1 is appropriate [42]. 

For the non-oxidative activation of light alkanes, the direct alkylation of toluene with ethane was chosen as an industrially relevant model reaction. The catalytic performance of ZSM-5 zeolites, which are good catalysts for this model reaction, was compared to the one of zeolite MCM-22, which is used in industry for the alkylation of aromatics with alkenes in the liquid phase. The catalytic experiments were carried out in a fixed-bed reactor and in a batch reactor. The results show that the shape-selective properties of zeolite ZSM-5 are more appropriate to favor the dehydroalkylation reaction, whereas on zeolite MCM-22 with its large cavities in the pore system and half-cavities on the external surface the thermodynamically favored side reaction with its large transition state, the disproportionation of toluene, prevails. 

Besides di- and poly-saccharides, zeolites have been applied for hydrolysis of simple glycosides as described by Le Strat and Morreau.132 Methyl a- and /i-D-glucopyrano-sides were treated with water in the presence of dealuminated HY faujasite with an Si/Al ratio of 15, at temperatures ranging between 100 and 150 °C. It was observed that the reaction rate for the (i glycoside was about 5-6 times higher than that for the oc anomer, a result that might arise from the shape-selective properties of the zeolite and stereoelectronic effects on the surface of the solid. 

Owing to the possibility of tuning (1) their acidic and basic properties, (2) their surface hydrophilicity, and (3) their adsorption and shape-selectivity properties, catalytic activity of zeolites was investigated in the production of HMF from carbohydrates. Whatever the hexose used as starting material, acidic pillared montmorillonites and faujasite were poorly selective towards HMF, yielding levu-linic and formic acids as the main products [81-83]. 

Selective hydroxylation of phenol with hydrogen peroxide was reported on acid zeolite catalysts [91-92]. Peroxonium ions, formed by H2O2 protonation, are the oxidizing species. When the reaction is carried out on a faujasite catalyst, a mixture of hydroxybenzenes and tars is obtained [91]. In the presence of H-ZSM-5 on the other hand, no tar formation was mentioned (which does not necessarily mean that it was absent) and p-selectivities close to 100% were reported for the hydroxylation [92]. These superior selectivities reflect the shape selective properties of ZSM type zeolites. 

In the preceding decade, microporous silicoaluminophosphates have drawn increasing interest as solid catalysts in chemical technology, because of their acidic and shape-selective properties. H-SAPO-34 with the chabasite structure, for example, is a suitable catalyst for the conversion of MTO (210). H-SAPO-37 with the faujasite structure was applied for the isomerization of -decane (211) and the isobutylene/2-butene alkylation (212). 

In view of the large number of new zeolites recently synthesized, considerable effort has been expended in their physical characterization, in particular, via their sorption capacities for various organic substrates. The molecular exclusion properties of these zeolites have been used to estimate their pore-opening catacteristics and shape-selective properties (6). In contrast to the molecular sieving... 

Since the last review by Venuto in 1968,[1] there has been a continuous interest in the application of microporous and mesoporous materials as catalysts in the synthesis of bulk and fine chemicals.[211 Indeed, their acidic and basic properties can be combined with their structural properties in order to take advantage of their adsorption and shape selectivity properties, the latter being an advantageous feature of zeolites compared with other heterogeneous catalysts. Another important aspect... 

It should be emphasized that the active sites located on the external surface, often in small amounts compared to the inner sites (<1% for crystallites of 1 //m), play a catalytic role. Generally, this leads to a selectivity decrease, the external surface lacking the shape selective properties of the inner pores.. However, recent results show that reactions which can occur only on the external surface of zeolites or just within the pore mouth are very selective, suggesting a shape selective influence of external surface depending on the nature of the substrate (Table 1.2). 

Fraenkel et al. (54) were the first to propose that the external surface of zeolites could be responsible for shape selective catalysis. Acid sites located in the half cavities on the external surface of HMFI would be responsible for the selective formation of 2,6- and 2,7-dimethylnaphthalene during naphthalene methylation (nest effect). This explanation was afterwards rejected on the basis of adsorption experiments. However, a nest effect was recently proposed to be responsible for the shape selective properties of the MCM-22 (MWW) zeolite and its delaminated analog (ITQ-4) in aromatics alkylation (55). 

Furthermore, very high para-selectivities are observed as a result of the shape-selective properties of the zeolite catalyst. 

If the charge balancing cation in a zeolite is then the material is a solid acid that can reveal shape selective properties due to the confinement of the acidic proton within the zeolite pore architecture. An example of shape selective acid catalysis is provided in Figure 5.3.7. In this case, normal butanol and isobutanol were dehydrated over CaX and CaA zeolites that contained protons in the pore structure. Both the primary and secondary alcohols were dehydrated on the X zeolite whereas only the primary one reacted on the A zeolite. Since the secondary alcohol is too large to diffuse through the pores of CaA, it cannot reach the active sites within the CaA crystals. 

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