Synthesis and catalytic performance of MCM-41 modified with tetracarboxylphthalocyanine

A series of tetracarboxylphthalocyanines (MPc(COOH)₄, M = H, Mn(II), Fe(II), Co(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), and Zn(II)) were anchored onto MCM-41 by the following procedures: functionalization of MCM-41 with (EtO)₃SiCH₂CH₂CH₂NH₂ reacting with surface Si-OH, and anchoring MPc(COOH)₄ onto MCM-41 with a substitution reaction between chloroformyl and amino groups. The samples were characterized by infrared spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, N₂ adsorption-desorption, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Catalytic activity of oxidation was tested using solutions of ethanethiol in petroleum ether and thiophene in octane; CoPc-CONH-MCM-41 displayed the highest conversion ratio of 90.15 % and 93.79 %, respectively.