Enhancement of the Catalytic Activity of Titanium-Based Terminal Olefin Epoxidation Catalysts via Surface Modification with Functionalized Protic Molecules

Site-isolated Ti(IV) centers were introduced onto the surface of a mesoporous SBA-15 support via the thermolytic molecular precursor method. Prior to thermal treatment to generate Ti−OH sites, residual silanol groups were capped via reaction with Me2N-SiMe3 to give TiMecapSBA15. After low temperature treatment in oxygen, the resulting Ti−OH sites of TiMecapSBA15-O2 were modified by reaction with a series of protic reagents: phenol, pentafluorophenol, acetic acid, and trifluoroacetic acid. The structure of the resulting TiSBA15 catalysts and the Ti(IV) epoxidation intermediates (formed upon treatment of Ti(IV) materials with TBHP or H2O2) were probed using diffuse-reflectance UV−visible spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. A titanium-hydroperoxo species similar to that found in TS-1 is proposed for all catalysts. Samples modified with phenol and pentafluorophenol exhibited conversions of 1-octene that are 20 to 50% higher than those for TiMecapSBA15-O2, without a significant drop in selectivity for the ...