Advances in the synthesis of titanosilicates: From the medium pore TS-1 zeolite to highly-accessible ordered materials

In the present review, we would like to cover the most fundamental advances achieved in the design of ordered titanosilicates since the earlier discovery of TS-1 reported by EniChem in the mid-eighties. The invention of the medium-pore TS-1 zeolite was a breakthrough, and this material has been applied as efficient catalyst in diverse industrial applications. However, its limited pore size (5-5.5 angstrom) offers diffusion limitations when working with large molecules. The design and preparation of open titanosilicates, such as large pore molecular sieves, mesoporous ordered materials, or layered-type zeolites will be described. The applicability of these titanosilicates to catalytic oxidation processes requiring bulky organic molecules will also be presented. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.