Heteropolyacids supported on boron nitride and carbon nitride for catalytic and catalytic photo-assisted alcohol dehydration

Keggin H3PW12O40 (PW12) and Wells-Dawson H6P2W18O60 (P2W18) heteropolyacids (HPAs) are photo(catalysts) for various acid-promoted redox catalytic reactions. Their activity increases if they deposited on certain supports as metal oxides or carbon materials. Although the surface area acid-base interactions of HPAs with considered key factors performance binary material, role local structure changes in upon their immobilization solids must be also primary importance, directly affecting both acidity photoredox properties. Here, (photo)catalytic heteropolytungstates supported boron nitride (BN) two types (C3N4) gas-solid 2-propanol dehydration to propene has been studied. Apart from characterizing materials by a set conventional laboratory-scale structural physical-chemical techniques, an insight into variations is provided means X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), influence discussed. The irradiation UV light increased respect experiments. apparent activation energy calculated photo-assisted process resulted always lower that obtained one alone. Moreover, showed highest turnover frequency (TOF) were those which impregnated graphitic C3N4 BN and, particular, TOF values observed at temperature PW12/BN P2W18/BN samples. Interestingly, seems due stabilization W octahedral coordination, according XAS data.