Epoxidation catalysts derived from introduction of titanium centers onto the surface of mesoporous aluminophosphate: Comparisons with analogous catalysts based on mesoporous silica

Titanium/AlPO materials were prepared by grafting a titanium alkoxide (titanium isopropoxide) onto a mesoporous aluminophosphate. The structures of the surface-bound titanium species were investigated by UV–vis, FTIR, MAS NMR, and XANES/EXAFS spectroscopies. The titanium anchoring occurs by reaction between the alkoxide precursor and surface Al–OH and P–OH groups of the AlPO support. The titanium species exist in isolated tetrahedral coordination environments, and as oligomerized species. The catalysts prepared are selective and active for the liquid-phase epoxidation of cyclohexene in the presence of TBHP. The observed activities and selectivities were comparable with those obtained for similarly prepared titanium/SBA-15 samples of similar Ti content (but higher BET surface area).