Development of a new combinatorial approach to multifunctional catalysts: Metal silsesquioxanes as precursors to microporous metallosilicates

Microporous, silica-supported metal oxides with a very narrow pore size dis tribution around 0.6 nn diameter, typical surface areas ranging from 350 to 700 m(2)/g, and loadings of well-dispersed metal oxide (up to w = 10% of m etal) result from the controlled calcination of silsesquioxane metal comple xes, A versatile new methodology is envisioned that, in a combinatorial fas hion, enables catalyst preparation with control over metal content and disp ersity, together with adjustable Lewis and Bronsted acidity. In addition, t he method is suitable for the preparation of bt and multifunctional catalys ts containing different metals.