High-temperature synthesis of magnetically active and SO 3H-functionalized ordered mesoporous carbon with good catalytic performance

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/j.cattod.2011.11.011

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. N ₂ 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.