Metalloporphyrinosilicas: a new class of hybrid organic–inorganic materials acting as selective biomimetic oxidation catalysts

Abstract

New hybrid organic–inorganic materials are prepared by hydrolysis and polycondensation, or cocondensation with tetraethyoxysilane, of iron porphyrins bearing a trifluorosily function; despite their insolubility, these ‘metalloporphyrinosilicas’ are efficient catalysts for alkene epoxidation by PhiO or Bu^tOOh and alkane hydroyxylation byPhIo, the iron porphyrinosilics with low specific surface areas (≈ 60 m² g^–1) catalysing a shape-selective hydroxylation of alkane mixtures.