Mesoporous silica with site-isolated amine and phosphotungstic acid groups: A solid catalyst with tunable antagonistic functions for one-pot tandem reactions

Abstract

Coniuga et impera: A bifunctional solid catalyst is prepared by combining acid and base functions on mesoporous silica supports (see picture). The co-existence of these functions is shown by a two-step reaction sequence in one pot. Excellent product yields, which cannot be obtained by separated acid and base functions in one pot, show the validity of our concept. Copyright © 2011 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.