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Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Preparation of Silica Nanoparticles Through Microwave-assisted Acid-catalysis
Published on: December 16, 2013
"Click" Silica-Supported Sulfonic Acid Catalysts with Variable Acid Strength and Surface Polarity
Palraj Kasinathan1, Charlotte Lang1, Sambhu Radhakrishnan2
1Institute of Condensed Matter and Nanosciences, UCLouvain, 1348, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Abstract:
Solid acid catalysts are central in our chemical industry and are major players in the valorization of bioresources. However, there is still a need to develop solid acid catalysts with enhanced acid strength and improved, or tunable, physicochemical profile to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of chemical processes. Here, a modular approach to tune the acid strength and surface polarity of silica-supported sulfonic acid catalysts, based on a versatile copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne cycloaddition (CuAAC)-based anchoring scheme, is presented. The CuAAC-formed triazole link was used to enhance the activity of the grafted sulfonic acids and to pair the acid sites with secondary hydrophobic functions. The beneficial effects of both the triazolium link and the paired hydrophobic site, as well as the optimal positioning of the sulfonic moiety on the triazole ring, are discussed in model esterification reactions.
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