Microporous niobium phosphates and catalytic properties prepared by a supramolecular templating mechanism

Microporous hexagonal niobium phosphate synthesized using neutral surfactants of molecular length, C6 to C10 hydrocarbons, by a supramolecular templating mechanism (S0I0) possesses strong hydrophilic character, which leads to high selectivity for catechol formation (95.3%) in the presence of protic solvent (MeOH) in the hydroxylation of phenol using aqueous H2O2.