Parlett, CMA, Isaacs, MA, Beaumont, SK et al. (4 more authors) (2016) Spatially orthogonal chemical functionalization of a hierarchical pore network for catalytic cascade reactions. Nature Materials, 15 (2). pp. 178-182. ISSN 1476-1122
Abstract
The chemical functionality within porous architectures dictates their performance as heterogeneous catalysts; however, synthetic routes to control the spatial distribution of individual functions within porous solids are limited. Here we report the fabrication of spatially orthogonal bifunctional porous catalysts, through the stepwise template removal and chemical functionalization of an interconnected silica framework. Selective removal of polystyrene nanosphere templates from a lyotropic liquid crystal-templated silica sol–gel matrix, followed by extraction of the liquid crystal template, affords a hierarchical macroporous–mesoporous architecture. Decoupling of the individual template extractions allows independent functionalization of macropore and mesopore networks on the basis of chemical and/or size specificity. Spatial compartmentalization of, and directed molecular transport between, chemical functionalities affords control over the reaction sequence in catalytic cascades; herein illustrated by the Pd/Pt-catalysed oxidation of cinnamyl alcohol to cinnamic acid. We anticipate that our methodology will prompt further design of multifunctional materials comprising spatially compartmentalized functions.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016 Macmillan Publishers Limited. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Nature Materials. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Engineering & Physical Sciences (Leeds) > School of Chemical & Process Engineering (Leeds) > Institute for Materials Research (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 03 Mar 2016 10:32 |
Last Modified: | 20 May 2016 04:00 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nmat4478 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Nature Publishing Group |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/nmat4478 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:92910 |