Synthesis and catalytic properties of mesoporous ethane-silicas containing phenyl-sulfonic acid group

The synthesis and catalytic properties of the mesoporous ethane-silicas functionalized with phenyl-sulfonic acid were reported. The phenyl-sulfonic acid groups were generated by sulfonation of the mesoporous ethane-silicas functionalized with phenyl groups, which was synthesized via co-condensation of 1,2-bis (trimethoxysilyl)ethane (BTME) and phenyltrimethoxysilane (PTMS) using block co-polymer Pluronic 123 as template in acidic medium. The results of XRD and nitrogen sorption isotherms show that all materials remain their ordered two-dimensional hexagonal mesostructure after sulfonation. The existence of phenyl-sulfonic acid groups was confirmed by UV-Raman spectroscopy, acid–base titration method and ICP-AES. The acid exchange capacity of these materials is in the range of 0.49–0.86 mmol H+ g−1. The sulfonated materials can effectively catalyze the condensation of phenol with acetone for the production of Bisphenol-A and the Claisen-Schmidt condensation of acetophenone with benzaldehyde to form chalcone. The catalytic results show that the catalytic activity of the mesoporous materials is not only affected by the amount of the phenyl-sulfonic acid group, but also by the structural order of the mesoporous materials.

Graphical abstractThe mesoporous ethane-silicas functionalized with phenyl-sulfonic acid were synthesized by sulfonation of the mesoporous ethane-silicas functionalized with phenyl group. The acid exchange capacity of these materials is in the range of 0.49–0.86 mmol H+ g−1. The sulfonated materials can effectively catalyze the Claisen-Schmidt condensation of acetophenone with benzaldehyde to form chalcone and the condensation of phenol with acetone for the production of bisphenol-A. Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide