A new Bronsted acid MIL-101(Cr) catalyst by tandem post-functionalization; synthesis and its catalytic application

A new heterogeneous Bronsted solid acid catalyst was prepared by tandem post-functionalization of MIL-101(Cr) and utilized for acetic acid esterification and alcoholysis of epoxides under solvent-free conditions. First, MIL-101(Cr) was functionalized with pyrazine to achieve MIL-101(Cr)-Pyz. Afterwards, the nucleophilic reaction of MIL-101(Cr)-Pyz with 1,3-propane sultone and next acidification with diluted sulfuric acid gave MIL-101(Cr)-Pyz-RSO3H Bronsted solid acid catalyst. Various characterization methods such as Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), elemental analysis (CHNS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersiveX-ray(EDX) spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TGA/DTA), acid-base titration, and N-2 adsorption/desorption analysis were employed to fully characterize the prepared catalyst. The catalyst showed high activity compared to unmodified MIL-101(Cr) in both catalytic acetic acid esterification and alcoholysis of epoxides. It can also be readily isolated from the reaction mixture and reused three times without major decrease in its activity.