Catalytic hydration/hydrolysis of bulky and hydrophobic organic compounds in aqueous phase over zeolite-based catalyst efficiently

Hydration/hydrolysis of organic compounds are the fundamental reactions to synthesis functional chemicals. In the recent decade, the requirement for catalytic hydration/hydrolysis of organic compounds in aqueous phase without using any organic solvent has begun to increase due to the advantages of green reaction process, mild reaction condition, and so on, in which water acts as not only reactant but also solvent. However, it is noteworthy that bulky and hydrophobic chemicals have accounted for a considerable proportion of organic chemicals. Therefore, efficiently catalytic hydration/hydrolysis of these compounds in aqueous phase have aroused people’s great interest. Among various types of heterogeneous catalysts, zeolite-based catalysts have become the focus of research due to their excellent physical and chemical properties. However, for traditional three-dimentional zeolites, the balance between hydrophobicity and acid density are hard to be controlled because that both of them are related with the Si/Al ratio of zeolite framework but in opposite direction, and the steric limitation of micropore is not beneficial for the diffusion and mass transfer of bulky compounds. Herein, sulfonic acid functionalized hollownest-structure zeolite have been prepared and applied in the ring-opening hydration of epoxides and hydrolysis of aryl (or naphthalene) esters, which exhibits efficiently catalytic performance and recycling stability. It is mainly ascribed to its unique structure constructed from the highly intergrowth of MWW zeolite lamellae, over which the compatibility of highly exposed and available acid sites, amphiphilic surface, and hierarchical pores is possible. This work not only provides a applicable route for the catalytic conversion of bulky and hydrophobic organic compounds in aqueous phase, but also is instructive for the construction of zeolite-based solid acids with adjustable acid property.