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Title: Characterization of the acidic properties of niobia-containing aerogels with [[sup 18]O]ethanol dehydration

Journal Article · · Journal of Catalysis; (United States)
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Texaco R D Department, Beacon, NY (United States)
  2. Carnegie Mellon Univ., Pittsburgh, PA (United States)

DeCanio et al. have recently reported the results of a novel mass spectral temperature-programmed reactions study (TPRS) of the dehydration of isotopically labelled ethanol ([[sup 18]O]ethanol) adsorbed on [gamma]-alumina and flouride-modified alumina. Their key finding is that there are two isotopomeric ether products, (C[sub 2]H[sub 5]O)[sub 2][sup 18]O and (C[sub 2]H[sub 5]O)[sub 2], in addition to ethene. This result suggests that adsorbed ethoxide can form via two routes: (i) by dissociative adsorption on Lewis acid site giving rise to the [sup 18]O-containing ethoxide and (ii) by the nucleophilic attack of the surface oxide on ethanol which is probably activated toward C-O bond cleavage by interacting with a Bronsted acid site. Thus, the product distribution following the adsorption of [[sup 18]O]ethanol provides useful information on the acidic properties of oxides, especially with respect to the nature of Lewis versus Bronsted acid sites. In this note, the authors present results which show that in using this technique to study a series of niobia-containing aerogels, the authors found evidence of stronger Bronsted acid sites on supported niobia than on bulk niobia. 9 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.

OSTI ID:
6858929
Journal Information:
Journal of Catalysis; (United States), Vol. 146:1; ISSN 0021-9517
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English