Synthesis of aluminium free titanium silicate with the BEA structure using a new and selective template and its use as a catalyst in epoxidations

The aluminium free titanium silicate analogue of zeolite beta is synthesized using di(cyclo-hexylmethyl)dimethylammonium as the template. The zeolite is characterized using XRD, DREAS and IR spectroscopy and evidence is obtained for the isolated incorporation of titanium in the zeolite lattice. The catalytic potential of Ti-beta is shown by the facile epoxidation of bulky olefins like norbornene and α-terpineol with aqueous hydrogen peroxide. The Ti-beta catalyst is compared with TS-1, Ti,Al-beta and Ti-MCM-41. In contrast to TS-1 and Ti-MCM-41, the Ti-beta has acidic properties when alcohols are applied as the solvent. This is explained by a higher lewis acid character of the titanium site in Ti-beta, which on coordination of an alcohol yields a Bronsted acid site.