New mesoporous titanium-phosphorus mixed oxides having bifunctional catalytic activity

New mesoporous titanium-phosphorus mixed oxides templated by non-ionic triblock copolymer Pluronic F127 under evaporation induced self-assembly (EISA) method and using unconventional phosphorus source trimethylphosphite have been reported. Powder XRD, TEM and N-2 sorption studies are employed to characterize the mesophases. TPD-NH3 experiments suggested an increase in surface acidity with the increase in the molar ratio of Ti/P in these mesoporous mixed oxides from I to 2. Interestingly these mesoporous materials showed excellent bifunctional catalytic activity in acid catalyzed Friedel-Crafts benzylation of bulky aromatics and partial oxidation of styrene to benzaldehyde with dilute H2O2 oxidant under mild liquid phase conditions. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.