Mn(III) salen complex immobilised into pillared clays by in situ and simultaneous pillaring/encapsulation procedures

All new materials, [Mn(saldPh)Cl]@Al-WYO_A, [Mn(saldPh)Cl]@Al-WYO_B, and [Mn(saldPh)Cl]@Al-WYO_C show catalytic activity in the epoxidation of styrene at room temperature using PhIO as oxygen source in acetonitrile. The solids presented high styrene epoxide selectivity and were reused for four times, but a small decrease in the catalytic activity was observed. Nevertheless, the catalysts prepared by simultaneous pillaring/encapsulation, methods B and C, are more stable upon reuse than the catalyst prepared by method A. FTIR spectra of catalysts after the catalytic reactions suggest that during the reaction no structural changes of the PILC took place, but some active phase leaching and deactivation have occurred which are responsible for the decrease in the catalytic activity on reutilisation.