Synthesis of manganese porphyrinosilica imprinted with templates using the sol–gel process

Abstract The optimized conditions for the preparation of a new manganese porphyrinosilica-template material are reported. The manganese porphyrinosilica-template was prepared by the sol–gel process, by the reaction of –SO 2 Cl groups present in the phenyl rings of MnTDC(SO 2 Cl)PPCl with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane. The reaction produces a precursor porphyrinopropylsilyl species, which were then polymerized with tetraethoxysilane. The presence of manganese porphyrin on xerogel is confirmed by ultraviolet visible absorption spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The prepared materials have surface areas between 19 and 674 m 2 g −1 . Electron spectroscopy imaging of the materials show that manganese distribution in the xerogel is uniform. Both manganese(III) porphyrinosilica-template and a similar iron(III) porphyrinosilica-template can catalyze the epoxidation of cyclooctene using iodozylbenzene as oxygen donor. The metalloporphyrinosilica-template presents catalytic activity similar to that of metaloporphyrin in solution.