An IR spectroscopic study of acid centers on the surface of Al,Zr silica gels

Acid centers of Al, Zr silica gels with approximately equal aluminum ion contents (∼2.4% Al₂O₃) and various concentrations of Zr ions were studied by IR spectroscopy using the deuteroacetonitrile molecule as a probe. The surface of such samples was found to contain Lewis acid centers of two types, coordination unsaturated (I) silicon and (II) zirconium ions. An increase in the content of zirconium ions was accompanied by a decrease in the intensity of the 2328 cm⁻¹ band in the IR spectra. This band was characteristic of interaction of CD₃CN with Lewis acid centers of type I. The suggestion was made that this was caused by a decrease in the accessibility of coordination unsaturated silicon ions to CD₃CN molecules.