Photocatalysis is used for different applications, including environmental remediation and a means for organic synthesis. Most photocatalysts are activated under UV light irradiation; however, UV light only comprises 4-5% of solar energy, whereas visible light comprises ~45%. It is of interest to explore photocatalysts active under visible light to effectively utilize natural solar energy as an irradiation source. Vanadosilicate AM-6 has shown photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation. The inherent microporosity of AM-6 makes it ideal for shape-selective photocatalysis to decompose and transform organic compounds.<br/>In the present work, we analyzed two organic compounds to determine the shape-selective nature of AM-6 under UV and visible light irradiation. Two parameters were used to determine the size and polarity of the organic compounds: (1) effective molecular width (EMW), and (2) Log S which estimates the polarity of a molecule based on its solubility in water. The organics selected where: 2,5-dichlorophenol (DCP, EMW = 0.581 nm, log S = -1.77) and 4-chlororesorcinol (CR, EMW = 0.540 nm, log S = -0.68 ). DCP is too large to enter the pores of AM-6 (4.9 Å × 7.6 Å), causing photodegradation on the external surface of AM-6. CR, due to its small size, diffused into the pores and was protected from further degradation. The degradation of DCP, which is toxic to aquatic organisms and hazardous to the environment, transformed on the surface of AM-6 into CR, which is a compound that is widely used as a chemical intermediate in pharmaceutical and cosmetics production. These results will be used to establish AM-6 photocatalyst as a green route to organic synthesis.<br/>

Photodegradation of organic molecules using microporous vanadosilicate AM-6 based on size and polarity

2019 Spring National Meeting

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