Cyclopentadienyl-functionalized mesoporous MCM-41 catalysts for the transesterification of dimethyl oxalate with phenol

Two kinds of hybrid inorganic–organic catalysts (denoted as Cp′-MCM-41 and Cp″-MCM-41) are prepared by grafting methylcyclopentadienyl (Cp′) or pentamethylcyclopentadienyl (Cp″) group onto the surface of mesoporous MCM-41. Such cyclopentadienyl-functionalized materials are active for the transesterification of dimethyl oxalate (DMO) with phenol. Under test conditions, Cp″-MCM-41 gives higher conversion of DMO and selectivity of diphenyl oxalate (DPO) than Cp′-MCM-41, and this might be assigned to the relatively strong Lewis basicity of Cp″ group.