High-temperature synthesis of magnetically active and SO3H-functionalized ordered mesoporous carbon with good catalytic performance

Magnetically active and SO3H-functionalized ordered mesoporous resin and carbon (MOMR-SO3H, MOMC-SO3H) were successfully prepared by high-temperature hydrothermal synthesis from resol, copolymer surfactant, and iron cations at 180 °C, followed by sulfonation from sulfuric acid fuming. X-ray diffraction patterns show that MOMR-SO3H and MOMC-SO3H have ordered hexagonal mesoporous symmetry. N2 isotherms indicate that these samples have uniform and opened mesopores, high surface areas (335–591 m2/g), and large pore volumes (0.34–0.35 cm3/g). Transmission electron microscopy shows that iron nanoparticles, which are superparamagnetic in nature, are highly dispersed in MOMC-SO3H sample. Catalytic tests show that MOMC-SO3H is highly active and excellently recyclable in esterification of acetic acid with butanol, esterification of acetic acid with cyclohexanol, and condensation of benzaldehyde with ethylene glycol. More interestingly, MOMC-SO3H catalyst is magnetically active, showing potential applications for separating catalysts by a magnetic field in the future.

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► Magnetically active and SO3H-funcationalized mesoporous carbon is synthesized.
► SO3H-funcationalized mesoporous carbon is catalytically active and recyclable.
► Magnetically active property is favorable for separating the catalysts.
► Combination of good catalytic performance with magnetic activity is important.