Organic–inorganic
materials consisting of organophosphonic-acid-supported-on-silica
materials C3/SiO2
and C4/SiO2
are described, where C3 is propane-1,2,3-triphosphonic
acid and C4 is butane-1,2,3,4-tetraphosphonic acid. Solid-state
structures of both of these phosphonic acids are analyzed using single-crystal
X-ray diffraction, and these data reveal extensive intermolecular
hydrogen bonding and no intramolecular hydrogen bonds. Thermogravimetric
analysis/mass spectroscopy (TGA/MS) data show a lack of combustion
for these materials in air at temperatures below 400 °C, and
only release of water corresponding to reversible organophosphonic
acid condensation below 150 °C. A comparative series of silica-supported
materials were synthesized, consisting of organophosphonic acid CX8, which represents a calixarene macrocycle that is decorated
with a high density of organophosphonic-acid substituents on both
the lower and upper rim, as well as polyvinylphosphoric acid (PVPA). Material CX8/SiO2
possesses a significantly lower thermal stability and lower combustion
temperature of 300 °C in air, whereas PVPA demonstrates
comparable thermal stability as observed with C3 and C4. TGA coupled with base-probe titration was used to determine
the Brønsted acid site density of all silica-supported phosphonic
acids at various coverages and temperatures. Material C4/SiO
2
-37% (corresponding to 37%
(by mass) loading and half-monolayer coverage on silica) exhibited
the highest Brønsted acid-site density of all materials, corresponding
to 0.84 mmol/g at 150 °C, and 0.62 mmol/g at 300 °C. All
supported phosphonic acids treated with pyridine at room temperature
were strong enough acids to protonate pyridine at room temperature
as exhibited by a distinct pyridinium cation band in the infrared
spectrum; however, in contrast to much stronger acid sites in silica-supported
phosphoric acid materials, almost all adsorbed pyridine was lost by
150 °C. Use of a stronger base for acid-site titration consisting
of diisopropylamine (DIPA) demonstrates acid sites in all materials
up to 300 °C, at which temperature the acid site was too weak
to adsorb DIPA. Thus, these oxidatively stable materials are deemed
to be useful in applications requiring weak Brønsted acid sites,
while exhibiting high-temperature oxidative stability up to 400 °C.