Effect of ethylbenzene in p-xylene selectivity of the porous titanium amino terephthalate MIL-125(Ti)_NH2

The synthesis of the microporous crystalline titanium(IV) 2-amino-terephthalate (MIL-125(Ti)_NH2; MIL stands for Materials from Institut Lavoisier) was improved at the laboratory scale (40 g) in order to be evaluated as powder for the selective adsorption and separation of xylene isomers and ethylbenzene in liquid phase using n-heptane as eluent. Multi-component breakthrough experiments, conducted at 313 K, have shown a preferential adsorption of ethylbenzene or para-xylene depending on the ethylbenzene concentration. Thus, MIL-125(Ti)_NH2 solid is para-xylene selective in liquid phase in presence of low ethylbenzene concentrations while at higher ethylbenzene concentrations it becomes ethylbenzene selective.

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► The synthesis of crystalline MIL-125(Ti)_NH2 was optimized at the laboratory scale.
► Selective adsorption and separation of xylene isomers in liquid phase.
► Preferential adsorption of ethylbenzene and p-xylene depending on the ethylbenzene concentration.
► MIL-125(Ti)_NH2 is p-xylene selective in presence of low ethylbenzene concentrations.
► MIL-125(Ti)_NH2 at high ethylbenzene concentrations becomes ethylbenzene selective.