Evaluation of hexaniobate nanoscrolls as support for immobilization of a copper complex catalyst

In this work, we report the intercalation properties of the hexaniobate nanoscrolls toward insertion of 2-[2-(2-pyridyl)ethylimino-1-ethyl]pyridine-imidazole copper(II), [Cu(apip)imH]2+, a cationic complex able to promote the catalytic oxidation of organic substrates. Hexaniobate was first transformed into its acidic phase, H2K2Nb6O17, and then exfoliated with n-butylamine in water. The copper complex was immobilized into the nanoscrolls obtained by the acidification of delaminated particle dispersion at pH 3. TEM micrographs of particles after immobilization of the cationic complex show scrolls with external diameters of ca. 25-30 nm and wall thicknesses of about 4.5-7.0 nm. The basal spacing (d(040)) of the copper complex intercalated in hexaniobate is about 11.6 A. The estimated composition, [Cu(apip)imH](0.5)HK2Nb6O17.6H2O, indicates that 50% of the negative charge of interlayer I was neutralized by the copper complex. EPR and IR spectra showed that the ligands and the distorted tetragonal structure of the complex were maintained after immobilization into niobate. The reactivity of this new material toward catechol oxidation using hydrogen peroxide as the oxidizing agent was investigated and compared to the activity of the same complex in solution. The heterogeneous catalyst is initially less effective toward the catechol oxidation but with time, the reaction shows a higher catechol conversion (ca. 82%) than the same copper complex in homogeneous media (ca. 75%). A better reactivity of the heterogeneous catalyst may be related to the stabilization of the immobilized catalyst, preventing its degradation during the reaction course. EPR results show that the kinetics of formation of the DMPO/*OH adduct in homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions corresponds to that observed in the catechol oxidation, suggesting that hydroxyl radicals are involved in the reaction mechanism.