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Updated: Apr 3, 2026

Imine Metathesis by Silica-Supported Catalysts Using the Methodology of Surface Organometallic Chemistry
Published on: October 18, 2019
Highly Dispersed SiO(x)/Al2O3 Catalysts Illuminate the Reactivity of Isolated Silanol Sites
Aidan R Mouat1, Cassandra George1, Takeshi Kobayashi2
1Chemistry Department and the Center for Catalysis and Surface Science, Northwestern University, 2145 Sheridan Rd., Evanston, IL 60208 (USA).
Abstract:
The reaction of γ-alumina with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) vapor at low temperatures selectively yields monomeric SiO(x) species on the alumina surface. These isolated (-AlO)3Si(OH) sites are characterized by PXRD, XPS, DRIFTS of adsorbed NH3, CO, and pyridine, and (29)Si and (27)Al DNP-enhanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The formation of isolated sites suggests that TEOS reacts preferentially at strong Lewis acid sites on the γ-Al2O3 surface, functionalizing the surface with "mild" Brønsted acid sites. For liquid-phase catalytic cyclohexanol dehydration, these SiO(x) sites exhibit up to 3.5-fold higher specific activity than the parent alumina with identical selectivity.
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