Copper(II) phthalocyanines entrapped in MFI zeolite catalysts and their application in phenol hydroxylation Original Research Article

An attempt is made to crystallize ZSM-5 (MFI) zeolite containing intrazeolitically entrapped and stabilized copper phthalocyanine (CuCl16Pc) complex. The hydrogels supplemented with seed precursors could yield a wider range of trapped Cu–Pc species in the ZSM-5 framework. The Cu–Pc serves to impart structural order to the inorganic network that does not disappear during washings and even after soxhlet treatments. The integrity of Cu–Pc in the framework was confirmed by UV–Vis, TG/DTA, sorption and surface area measurements. The oxidation properties of trapped and stabilized Cu–Pc species in the conversion of phenol to hydroquinone and catechol exhibit higher TON (turn over number) in solvent systems.