Interface charge density matching as driving force for new mesostructured oxovanadium phosphates with hexagonal structure, [CTA](x)VOPO4 center dot zH(2)O

Hexagonal mesostructured mixed-valence oxovanadium phosphates [CTA](x)VOPO4 . zH(2)O, in short ICMUV-2, have been synthesized through a S+I- cooperativ e mechanism using cationic surfactant (cetyltrimethyl ammonium, CTAB) rodli ke micelles as a template. On the lines of the hypothesis that the driving force leading to the formation of mesostructured solids is the charge densi ty matching at the interface between the supramolecular-organic and supramo lecular-inorganic moieties, the self-assembling process between CTA(+) mice lles and VOPO4q- planar anions can be thought of as consequence of the adeq uate adjustment of the metal mean oxidation state. X-ray powder diffraction and TEM techniques show that the solids consist of hexagonal arrays of mes opores filled with surfactant, whereas spectroscopic results allow us to pr opose an oxovanadium phosphate bond topology similar to that observed in th e NaxVOPO4. nH(2)O layered derivatives. The thermal behavior of the mesostr uctured materials has also been investigated, given that both the easy elim ination of CTA(+) species and their V:P = 1:1 molar ratio make ICMUV-2 soli ds adequate pyrolytic precursors of the (VO)(2)P2O7 catalyst.