S. Bordiga et al., Hydroxyls nests in defective silicalites and strained structures derived upon dehydroxylation: vibrational properties and theoretical modelling, TOP CATAL, 15(1), 2001, pp. 43-52
Defective silicalite, an efficient and selective catalyst in the gas phase
Beckmann rearrangement reaction, has been characterised by infrared spectro
scopy and by molecular modelling techniques. We report a detailed TR study
on the effect of outgassing treatments at increasing temperature on silanol
s bands and on framework modes. The effect of a temperature decrease up to
100 K (during the IR measurement) on the H-bonding interactions has also be
en investigated. The interaction of silanols with mesitylene, a probe molec
ule which cannot penetrate the channels, has been studied in order to disti
nguish between internal and external OH groups. Molecular mechanics and nb
initio methods have also been used to model the structure and the vibration
al features of a properly designed nest in order to support the assignments
of the LR spectrum.