Properties of methanol bound to a defect of zeolitic structure

Different mechanisms of Brønsted acidity formation upon the adsorption of a methanol molecule on a model Lewis acid site within zeolitic structure are evaluated by means of density functional theory in cluster approximation. The properties of the Brønsted acid sites formed are examined through studying their interaction with such probe molecules as methanol, ammonia, and ethylene. The results obtained are used to comment on a possible role of Lewis acid sites in methanol reactions catalyzed by zeolites. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005