Titanosilicates
with extra-large pores or cages are expected to
effectively release the diffusion constraints suffered by the bulky
substrates in the hydrogen peroxide-involved liquid-phase selective
oxidation reactions. A reversible 3D–2D–3D structural
transformation was developed to fabricate a highly active IWV-type
titanosilicate (Ti-IWV) with a two-dimensional intersecting 12-membered
ring (MR) channel system and extra-large 14-MR supercages. The IWV
germanosilicate was readily disassembled into a layered 2D material
(Hydro-IWV) in HNO3 aqueous solution, which was reconstructed
to Ti-IWV with various Ti contents (Si/Ti ratio of 40–∞)
through the (NH4)2TiF6-assisted isomorphous
substitution of Ti and structure repair. The fluoride anions were
critical to recover the interlayer double-four-ring (d4r) units, which were destroyed in the hydrolysis
process. Ti-IWV was extremely active in the liquid-phase epoxidation
reaction of cycloalkenes, especially showing a much higher conversion
(99%) for cyclooctene than conventional titanosilicates. Rather than
diffusion rate, the high capacity for the adsorption of bulky alkene
molecules of extra-large 14-MR cages contributed to the outstanding
activity of Ti-IWV.