A complex moiety containing copper (II) has been anchored covalently into the organic-modified Si-MCM-41 to prepare a new catalyst. The amine group containing organic moiety 3-aminopropyl-triethoxysilane has been first anchored on the surface of Si-MCM-41 via silicon alkoxide route. The amine group upon condensation with salicyldehyde affords a bidentate ligand in the mesoporous matrix for anchoring copper(II) ions. The prepared catalyst has been characterized by UV-vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), and infrared (IR) spectroscopic analysis, small-angle X-ray diffraction, and N2 sorption study. A remarkable difference in the pore structure has been observed after the immobilization of copper(II) complex in Si-MCM-41. The catalyst showed excellent catalytic efficiency in epoxidation reactions with various olefinic compounds including styrene and allyl alcohol, using tert-BuOOH as oxidant. Notably, styrene shows unprecedented high conversion (97%) as well as epoxide selectivity (89%) with tert-BuOOH over the Cu-MCM-41 catalyst.

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A layered oxo-vanadium(IV) dihydrogen phosphate, {VO(H2PO 4)2} n has been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized by several physicochemical methods. Single-crystal X-ray analysis (crystal system, tetragonal; space group, P4/ ncc; unit cell dimensions, a = b = 8.9632(4), c = 7.9768(32) A) of {VO(H2PO4) 2} n reveals that the compound has an extended two-dimensional structure. The VO2+ moieties are connected through bridging H 2PO4 (-) ions, and this type of connection propagates parallel to the crystallographic ab plane which gives rise to a layered structure. The layers are staked parallel to the crystallographic c axis with a separation between the layers of ca. 4.0 A. Magnetic susceptibility of {VO(H2PO4)2} n has been measured in the temperature range 2-300 K on a SQUID magnetometer. The magnetic property of {VO(H2PO4)2} n is explicable in the light of a two-dimensional quantum Heisenberg antiferromagnet model. Magnetic pathways are available through the dihydrogen-phosphato bridges within the layer and provide for weak antiferromagnetic interactions. Notably {VO(H2PO4)2} n catalyzes the epoxidation reaction of alkenes with tert-BuOOH in acetonitrile medium under heterogeneous condition.