Impact of composition and structural parameters on the catalytic activity of MFI type titanosilicalites

Titanosilicalite of the MFI type was obtained via a hydrothermal method. Its initial and annealed at 75 °C (TS-1P(75)) and 500 °C (TS-1P(500)) forms were studied by X-ray powder diffraction (PXRD), X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS-method), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), temperature-programmed ammonia desorption (TPD NH₃), and pyridine adsorption (Py). The full-profile Rietveld method allowed us to observe the presence of the organic template tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) in the framework voids, as well as to determine the silicate module (Si/Ti = 73.5) and the distribution of Ti⁴⁺ ions over the MFI-type structure sites (Ti atoms replace Si ones in two positions: T1 and T6). The coordination numbers of titanium (CNTi = 4.6 for TS-1P and TS-1P(75), CNTi = 3.8 for TS-1P(500)) were established by the XAS-method. The catalytic activity of titanosilicalites was found in the reactions of nitrous oxide decomposition (the maximal decomposition rate is demonstrated for the TS-1P(75) sample), allyl chloride epoxidation to epichlorohydrin (the best combination of all indicators was exhibited for the TS-1P sample) and propane conversion (maximum propane conversion, and butadiene and propylene selectivity were observed in both TS-1P(75) and TS-1P(500) samples). Mechanisms for the catalytic processes are proposed. The relationship between the catalytic properties and the composition (Si/Ti), Ti⁴⁺ ion distribution over the MFI-type structure sites, the local environment of titanium ions, and the number of acid sites in the titanosilicalites are discussed.