A new organo-ruthenium substituted tungstotellurate: synthesis, structural characterization and catalytic properties

Abstract

Reaction of [RuC₆H₆Cl₂]₂ with TeO₂ and Na₂WO₄·2H₂O in aqueous solution (pH 4.7) yielded a novel organo-ruthenium supported tungstotellurate polyanion, [Te₂W₂₀O₇₀(RuC₆H₆)₂]⁸⁻ (Ru-1), which is composed of two [RuC₆H₆]²⁺ units linked to a [Te₂W₂₀O₇₀]¹²⁻ fragment through Ru–O(W) bonds resulting in an assembly with idealized C_2h symmetry. Furthermore, the polyanion Ru-1 was anchored on 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (apts)-modified SBA-15 to prepare new catalysts (SBA-15–apts–Ru-1) containing different amounts of Ru-1, which were characterized using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N₂-adsorption measurement and Fourier transform infrared reflectance (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Finally, the catalytic activity of SBA-15–apts–Ru-1 was evaluated for the aerobic oxidation of n-tetradecane using air as the oxidant in the absence of any additives or solvents. In addition, the optimum catalytic reaction conditions were also determined.