The all-silica zeolite RUB-41, containing 8- and 10-membered rings, is able to separate trans-2-butene and cis-2-butene from 1-butene and represents a possible improvement in isolating pure 1-butene from a butene mixture.

A ferrierite-type layered aluminosilicate, Al-RUB-36, was prepared for the first time and its interlayer expansion resulted in new zeolite catalysts denoted Al-COE-3 and Al-COE-4. Decane hydroconversion tests demonstrated the highly active and shape-selective nature of the new Al-COE-4 catalyst with an unprecedented isomerization yield, highlighting the potential of this material as a hydroisomerization catalyst. This is the first report on achieving shape-selectivity via interlayer expansion.Zeolites are of significant interest for the chemical and petrochemical industries, especially due to their current and potential applications in catalysis, separations and purifications. Even though synthetic zeolites have been used by industry for almost half a century, prospects are still high for new materials, structures and applications.1 Every new zeolite framework has the potential to offer unique structural and chemical features that can be beneficial for industrial applications. Hence, academic and industrial research activities on the synthesis of new zeolitic materials have always been vigorous. New methods for the design of zeolite pore/channel size and chemistry are especially sought after. Such a capability would allow tailor-making catalysts based on the dimensional needs of a reaction, molecular sieves based on the kinetic diameters of the molecules to be separated and adsorbents based on the adsorbate size. In the search for new framework topologies, utilization of layered silicates as precursors for obtaining zeolitic structures by topotactic condensation offers considerable promise.2 A variety of new products have been obtained in the last decade following this strategy. 2,3 We recently reported the conversion of layered silicate RUB-39 into zeolite RUB-41 as a successful example of this approach. 4 Incorporation of Al and other functional T-atoms into these novel frameworks was also achieved and the resulting materials were shown to be excellent shape selective catalysts.5 Delamination of layered precursors and their further modification and/or rearrangement prior to reassembly constitute other interesting routes reported in the literature for the synthesis of zeolitic materials from layered silicates.6 A more recent, yet potentially highly prolific strategy for the synthesis of new zeotype materials is based on the interlayer expansion of layered silicates, which results in zeolitic products denoted the ''interlayer expanded zeolites (IEZ)'' by Tatsumi and co-workers. 7 Interlayer expansion of the layered silicate precursors to obtain new crystalline framework structures with expanded pore openings and functionalized bridging units has been demonstrated using various precursors.8 Utilization of this methodology for layered precursors with MWW topology generated catalysts that were more active in a variety of reactions involving bulky molecules, potentially due to the enhanced diffusion in the framework as a result of the wider interlayer pore openings. 9 We have also recently reported the interlayer ...

A new zeolite catalyst, Al-RUB-41, was synthesized for the first time. It was tested as a catalyst in methanol amination, and showed a shape-selective performance that results in a highly favorable product distribution. The shape-selective nature was also evidenced by using Pt-Al-RUB-41 as a bifunctional catalyst for decane hydroconversion. With its unique pore architecture and remarkable shape-selective character, Al-RUB-41 presents a significant commercial potential in industrial catalysis.

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