Facile assembly for fast construction of intercalation hybrids of layered double hydroxides with anionic metalloporphyrin.

Anionic manganese tetrasulfonatophenyl porphyrin (MnTSPP) has been intercalated into the interlamellar space of Mg-Al and Ni-Al layered double hydroxides (LDHs) through the exfoliation/restacking approach by using exfoliated LDH nanosheets and guest molecules as building blocks. The obtained hybrids were characterized by a variety of analytical techniques such as CHN analysis, XRD, FTIR, SEM, HRTEM, UV-vis spectroscopy and thermal analysis. Interlayer spacings determined from XRD patterns reveal a perpendicular orientation of the MnTSPP anions between the hyroxylated layers of both LDHs. The results of zeta potential measurements give information about the surface charge change of LDH nanoparticles associated with the spontaneous coassembly process. The catalytic performance of the heterogeneous catalysts MnTSPP/Mg-Al LDH2.0 and MnTSPP/Ni-Al LDH1.0 for the epoxidation of cyclohexene was investigated using molecular oxygen as an oxidant and isobutylaldehyde as a co-reductant. The intercalated hybrids appear to be promising catalysts owing to their good catalytic activity and selectivity.