Sviluppo di catalizzatori ibridi organici-inorganici per reazioni di desolforazione ossidativa

The anchoring of terminal octenyl tails on molecular polyoxotungstates yields polymerizable organic-inorganic monomers with formula [(CH2=CH(CH2)6Si)xOySiWwOz]4-, x=2, w=11, y=1, z=39 (1); x=2, w=10, y=1, z=36 (2) and x=4, w=9, y=3, z=34 (3). These molecular hybrids can use aqueous hydrogen peroxide to catalyze the selective oxidation of organic sulfides in CH3CN. Co-polymerization of 1-3 with methyl methacrylate and ethylenglycol dimethacrylate leads to porous materials with a homogeneous distribution of the functional monomers, as indicated by converging evidences from FT-IR and electronic microscopies. The catalytic polymers activate hydrogen peroxide for oxygen transfer, as indicated by the quantitative and selective oxidation of methyl p-tolyl sulfide screened as model substrate. The hybrid material containing monomer 2 was also tested in n-octane to evaluate its potential for the oxidation and removal of dibenzothiophene, a well-known gasoline contaminant.