Synthesis of titanium silicalite-1 supported zinc catalysts for efficient and clean epoxidation of 1-hexene and methyl oleate

• Published in: Materials research bulletin 2024-11, Vol.179, p.112929, Article 112929
• Main Authors: Cai, Lei, Gao, Xiu, He, Peihang, Luo, Beining, Yan, Xianzai, Zhang, Zedong, Wang, Wenjun, Wu, Guoqiang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 1-Hexene; Epoxidation; Methyl oleate; TS-1; Zinc-supported
• ISSN: 0025-5408; 1873-4227
• DOI: 10.1016/j.materresbull.2024.112929

•A series of Zn/TS-1 catalysts are synthesized and characterized systematically.•Green and efficient epoxidation of 1-hexene and MO over Zn/TS-1 catalyst.•Well-dispersed Zn species can promote the epoxidation of 1-hexene and MO.•The stability and regeneration of 2% Zn/TS-1 in 1-hexene and MO epoxidation are explored. To improve the catalytic epoxidation activity of conventional TS-1 zeolite under acid-free conditions, a series of TS-1-supported zinc (xZn/TS-1) catalysts were prepared and evaluated in the epoxidation of 1-hexene and methyl oleate (MO) with H2O2 oxidant. The microstructure of xZn/TS-1 was investigated using various characterization techniques, and the results showed that the introduction of Zn species was not only well dispersed on the surface of TS-1 but also did not disrupt the crystal structure of TS-1 and tetrahedral framework titanium. Furthermore, the Ti-O-Zn structure can be formed between Zn and Ti species through O-atomic coordination, which improves the vulnerability of the Ti-O bond to attack the H2O2 molecule, and ultimately facilitates the epoxidation reaction between 1-hexene and MO. In addition, the 2% Zn/TS-1 catalysts showed optimal conversions of 45.7 % and 75.41 % for 1-hexene and MO, respectively, and exhibited good catalytic stability and regeneration during the epoxidation process. [Display omitted]