TITLE:
Triphase Catalysis Based on Gemini Surfactant-Clay Intercalates
AUTHORS:
Nahid Shabestary, Derek T. Rensing, Danielle N. Reed, Alex F. Austiff, Mark D. Cox
KEYWORDS:
Triphase Catalysis; Gemini Surfactant; Intercalation Reaction; Nucleophilic Displacement; Montmorillonite; Phase Transfer Catalysis
JOURNAL NAME:
Modern Research in Catalysis,
Vol.3 No.2,
March
18,
2014
ABSTRACT: A series of novel catalysts was developed
using cationic Gemini surfactants intercalated in natural montmorillonite (MMT)
clay. These Gemini surfactant-MMT intercalates were used to study the kinetics
of a nucleophilic displacement reactions converting n-butyl bromide to n-butyl
chloride in a triphase catalytic (TC) system. Most reaction rates compared
favorably to those of biphase catalytic reactions where Gemini surfactants were
used in the absence of MMT. Catalytic activity varied with Gemini surfactant
structure, specifically with carbon spacer group and side chain length. In addition
to the ease of catalyst separation that a triphase system affords, Gemini-MMT
catalysts are stable and can be recycled and re-used several times.