Heterogenization of titanium(IV) complexes with amine bis(phenolate) ligands onto SBA‐15: exploring their catalytic epoxidation and electrochemical behaviour

This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of titanium catalysts supported onto SBA‐15 via chemical bonding. This was done by first modifying the support with amine bis(phenol) groups as functional linkers and hexamethyldisilizane as capping agent to mask the remaining silanol groups on the silica surface. Finally, titanium tetraisopropoxide was immobilized by reaction with the modified SBA‐15. All the materials were characterized using X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray fluorescence, nitrogen adsorption‐desorption, Fourier transform infrared, UV‐visible diffuse reflectance and solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies, and solid‐state electrochemical techniques. The titanium materials were tested as cyclohexene epoxidation catalysts. The stability and reusability of the catalysts were also examined using voltammetry measurements. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.