Dual-mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite with highly b-axis-oriented large mesopore channels for the production of benzoin ethyl ether

Dual-mesoporous ZSM-5 zeolite with highly b axis oriented large mesopores was synthesized by using nonionic copolymer F127 and cationic surfactant CTAB as co-templates. The product contains two types of mesopores--smaller wormlike ones of 3.3 nm in size and highly oriented larger ones of 30-50 nm in diameter along the b axis--and both of them interpenetrate throughout the zeolite crystals and interconnect with zeolite microporosity. The dual-mesoporous zeolite exhibits excellent catalytic performance in the condensation of benzaldehyde with ethanol and greater than 99 % selectivity for benzoin ethyl ether at room temperature, which can be ascribed to the zeolite lattice structure offering catalytically active sites and the hierarchical and oriented mesoporous structure providing fast access of reactants to these sites in the catalytic reaction. The excellent recyclability and high catalytic stability of the catalyst suggest prospective applications of such unique mesoporous zeolites in the chemical industry.

heterogeneous catalysis; hydrothermal synthesis; mesoporous materials; template synthesis; zeolites.