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Selective Adsorption and Separation of ortho -Substituted Alkylaromatics with the Microporous Aluminum Terephthalate MIL-53

2008; American Chemical Society; Volume: 130; Issue: 43 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1021/ja802761z

1943-2984

Luc Alaerts, M. Maes, Lars Giebeler, Pierre A. Jacobs, Johan A. Martens, Joeri Denayer, Christine E. A. Kirschhock, Dirk De Vos,

Chemical Synthesis and Characterization

The metal−organic framework MIL-53(Al) was tested for selective adsorption and separation of xylenes and ethylbenzene, ethyltoluenes, and cymenes using batch, pulse chromatographic, and breakthrough experiments. In all conditions tested, MIL-53 has the largest affinity for the ortho-isomer among each group of alkylaromatic compounds. Separations of the ortho-compounds from the other isomers can be realized using a column packed with MIL-53 crystallites. As evidenced by Rietveld refinements, specific interactions of the xylenes with the pore walls of MIL-53 determine selectivity. In comparison with the structurally similar metal−organic framework MIL-47, the selectivities among alkylaromatics found for MIL-53 are different. Separation of ethyltoluene and cymene isomers is more effective on MIL-53 than on MIL-47; the pores of MIL-53 seem to be a more suitable environment for hosting the larger ethyltoluene and cymene isomers than those of MIL-47.