Highly efficient sulfated Zr-doped titanoniobate nanoplates for the alcoholysis of styrene epoxide at room temperature

Abstract

Sulfated Zr-doped titanoniobate nanoplates were prepared and evaluated as a solid acid catalyst in the alcoholysis of styrene epoxide at room temperature. Compared with undoped and Zr-doped nanosheets, the resulting sulfated catalyst exhibited an excellent catalytic performance to afford corresponding β-alkoxyalcohols (99% yield with methanol as nucleophile in only 10min) due to the high dispersion of zirconia species on nanosheets, appropriate Lewis acid strength and amount from the strong interaction between zirconia and sulfate species, and greatly increased surface area arisen from the exfoliation and house-of-cards restacking of nanosheets. The corresponding catalytic mechanism was proposed and discussed. The obtained material may act as a promising catalyst in many acid catalyzed reactions.