Distribution and properties of catalytically active Cu2+ sites in mesoporous MCM-41 modified with Al, Zr, or W ions

The surface of pure mesoporous SiO₂ with an MCM-41 structure has been modified by introducing Al, Zr, or W ions (1 mmol/g). The original and modified materials have been loaded with Cu²⁺ ions. The distribution, properties, and thermal stability of different Cu²⁺ sites have been studied by EPR and IR spectroscopy. The resulting catalysts have been tested for activity in ethane oxidation. The modification of original MCM-41 exerts a very strong effect on the stability of isolated Cu²⁺ ions on the support surface. Among the modified supports, Al-MCM-41 affords the highest thermal stability and degree of dispersion (70–80%) of the copper-containing phase. There is no correlation between the total number of surface Cu²⁺ sites and the catalytic activity. The specific catalytic activity (per Cu²⁺ ion accessible to the reactants) depends strongly on the local structure of the sites. The isolated pentacoordinated Cu²⁺ sites stabilized by the Al-MCM-41 surface show a comparatively high activity in the sample calcined at 520°C. The heat treatment of Cu/Al-MCM-41 at 650–750°C reduces the specific activity of the catalytic sites by a factor of ～20 without sintering the copper phase, as in the case of CuHZSM-5 zeolite. The least dispersed copper phase, which is observed in the original MCM-41 and likely consists of aggregates of weakly interacting Cu²⁺ ions, exhibits the highest specific activity and thermal stability. In the case of Cu/W-MCM-41, heat treatment causes both the sintering of copper particles and a decrease in the specific activity of the surface Cu²⁺ ions.