Highly Efficient Nanocrystalline Zirconosilicate Catalysts for the Aminolysis, Alcoholysis, and Hydroamination Reactions

Nanocrystalline zirconosilicates and titanosilicates with MFI framework structure were hydrothermally synthesized by the addition of organosilanes in the synthesis composition of conventional zirconosilicate and titanosilicate materials. Materials were characterized by a complementary combination of X-ray diffraction, nitrogen sorption, scanning/transmission electron microscopy (S/TEM), ammonia temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and ultraviolet visible (UV-vis) spectroscopic investigations. Nanocrystalline zeolite catalysts of the present study are reusable. They exhibit significantly higher catalytic activities in aminolysis and alcoholysis compared with the hitherto known catalysts. A range of beta-amino alcohols/beta-alkoxy alcohols with high regioselectivity were synthesized using zirconosilicates. Application of these materials was also extended in the synthesis of aminoesters by the hydroamination reaction of methyl acrylates and amines. Structure activity relationship was explained based on acidity measurements, reactivity of amines/alcohols, and adsorption of reactants on catalysts.