Synthesis of hexagonal and cubic super-microporous niobium phosphates with anion exchange capacity and catalytic properties

Super-microporous hexagonal niobium phosphate synthesized using neutral surfactant (S0I0 mechanism) and cubic structure with cationic surfactant (S+X-I+); the hexagonal niobium phosphate possesses an excellent anion exchange capacity (6.3 mmol g-1) and high product selectivity towards 4-naphthaquinone (88.6%) in the oxidation of 1-naphthol in presence of aqueous H2O2.