The effect of MCM-41 structure on the chemical properties of grafted vanadium oxide species

A solid state ion exchange method is described that introduces vanadium into zeolite MCM-41. Two types of vanadium species (VO2+ complex in a silanol nest and vanadium ions in cationic position) are identified when the amount of V2O5 is equivalent to sample acidity. The vanadium MCM-41 samples are characterized by the methods of FTIR, UV–vis spectroscopies and temperature programmed reduction/oxidation cycles (TPR/TPO). The effect of the grafted vanadium ions and the efficiency of vanadium centres have been investigated in liquid phase benzene hydroxylation and complete ethylacetate oxidation.