Hierarchical
micro-mesoporous MCM-22 zeolites were synthesized
using hexamethyleneimine and organosilanes as structure directing
agents, which enabled the formation of hierarchical zeolites with
mesopores created by the voids left by the organosilanes after thermal
treatment, without loss of the intrinsic microporosity of the zeolite.
The addition of organosilanes to the synthesis medium reduced the
incorporation of aluminum atoms into the zeolite framework, making
the hierarchical zeolites more hydrophobic than the microporous MCM-22
reference material. Measurements of the contact angles between water
droplets and the zeolites pressed into wafers confirmed the distinct
hydrophobic character of the samples. The zeolites were used as catalysts
for the liquid-phase condensation of glycerol with acetone. Diffusion
of the bulky products in the purely microporous zeolites was hindered
due to steric constraints. On the other hand, the hierarchical zeolites
showed improved catalytic performance in the glycerol condensation
reaction, due to greater access to the active acid sites and increased
hydrophobicity, which helped in removing water formed in the reaction
from the zeolite cavities. The zeolite synthesized with the organosilane
bearing 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain provided glycerol conversion
of 83% in 2 h, while limited conversion of 19% was obtained over the
purely microporous sample. In addition to the satisfactory catalytic
results observed in the glycerol condensation reaction, the one-pot
synthesis procedure employed was simple and allowed the creation of
hierarchical zeolites with narrow mesopore size ranges and excellent
potential for the conversion of platform molecules derived from biomass
sources.