“…Various inorganic and organic materials, such as acidic metal oxides (niobia [18], [19], zeolites [20]- [24], or alumina [25]- [27]), polymers [28], [29], natural polysaccharides [30] and functionalized silica matrices [31]- [33] have been employed as supports for the immobilization of MTO. Meanwhile, several important methods for improving the catalyst performance have been revealed by surface chemistry and computational studies, for instance, the structural feature and bonding mode of the MTO species on the support surface, the beneficial pyridine effect manifested in both homogeneous and heterogeneous MTO-catalyzed epoxidation, and the modification of support surface with organic or polymeric functional groups.…”