Adsorbate Interactions of Cu(II) Ion-Exchanged into Mesoporous Aluminosilicate MCM-41 Analyzed by Electron Spin Resonance and Electron Spin Echo Modulation

The location of Cu(II) exchanged into measoporous aluminosilicate MCM-41(AlMCM-41) material and its interaction with various adsorbate molecules were investigated by electron spin resonance and electron spin echo modulation spectroscopies. Cu(II) is fully coordinated to adsorbates in a wide open mesopore of AlMCM-41 for the formation of favorable complexes. It was found that in the fresh hydrated material, Cu(II) is octahedrally coordinated to six water molecules as evidenced by an isotropic room temperature ESR signal. This species is located in a cylindrical MCM-41 channel and rotates rapidly at room temperature. Evacuation at room temperature removes some of these water molecules, leaving the Cu(II) coordinated to less water molecules and anchored to oxygens in an MCM-41 channel wall. Dehydration at 450$^{\circ}C$ produces one Cu(II) species located on the internal wall of a channel, which is easily accessible to adsorbates. Adsorption of adsorbate molecules such as water, methanol, ammonia, pyridine, aniline, acetonitrile, benzene, and ethylene on a dehydrated Cu-AlMCM-41 material causes changes in the ESR spectrum of Cu(II), indicating the complex formation with these adsorbates. Cu(II) forms a complex with six molecules of methanol as evidenced by an isotropic room temperature ESR signal and ESEM analysis like upon water adsorption. Cu(II) also forms a square planar complex containing four molecules of N-containing adsorbates such as ammonia, pyridine and aniline based on resolved nitrogen superhyperfine interaction and their ESR parameters. However, Cu(II) forms a complex with six-molecules of acetonitrile based on ESR parameters. Only one molecule of benzene or ethylene is coordinated to Cu(II).