Unveiling the Active Surface Sites in Heterogeneous Titanium-Based Silicalite Epoxidation Catalysts: Input of Silanol-Functionalized Polyoxotungstates as Soluble Analogues

We report on a site-isolated model for Ti(IV) by reacting [Ti(iPrO)4] with the silanol-functionalized polyoxotungstates [XW9O34–x(tBuSiOH)3]3– (X = P, x = 0, 1; X = Sb, x = 1, 2) in tetrahydrofuran. The resulting titanium(IV) complexes [XW9O34–x(tBuSiO)3Ti(OiPr)]3– (X = P, 3; X = Sb, 4) were obtained in monomeric forms both in solution and in the solid state, as proved by diffusion NMR experiments and by X-ray crystallographic analysis. Anions 3 and 4 represent relevant soluble models for heterogeneous titanium silicalite epoxidation catalysts. The POM scaffolds feature slight conformational differences that influence the chemical behavior of 3 and 4 as demonstrated by their reaction with H2O. In the case of 3, the hydrolysis reaction of the isopropoxide ligand is only little shifted toward the formation of a monomeric [PW9O34(tBuSiO)3Ti(OH)]3– (5) species [log K = −1.96], whereas 4 reacted readily with H2O to form a μ-oxo bridged dimer {[SbW9O33(tBuSiO)3Ti]2O}6– (6). The more confined was the coordinatio...