Selective conversion of nitroalcohols to nitroolefins over sulfonic acid functionalized mesoporous SBA-15 material

Highly ordered 2D-hexagonal mesoporous SBA-15 has been synthesized by using triblock copolymer as template and its surface has been functionalized by 3-propylsulfonic acid group via post-synthetic grafting with 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxy silane. A variety of alpha,beta-substituted nitroalcohols are converted to their corresponding nitroolefins under mild reaction conditions using this 3-propylsulfonic acid-functionalized SBA-15 material. Nitroalcohols with open-chain, cyclic, and heterocyclic substituents at the alpha-position are smoothly converted into their corresponding nitroolefins in high yields over this solid acid catalyst. Propylsulfonic acid functionalized SBA-15 materials are found to be more efficient catalysts than microporous zeolites under similar reaction conditions. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.