Preparation of the WOX/MCM-41 Solid Acid Catalyst and the Catalytic Performance for Solketal Synthesis

In the present work, an efficient and stable WOX/MCM-41 solid acid catalyst was prepared by the wet impregnation method. The characterization of powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible, H-2 temperature-programmed reduction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption, and N-2 adsorption-desorption isotherms confirmed that the impregnation amount and calcination temperature of WOX speciation affected the dispersity and acidity of the resulting catalyst. This WOX/MCM-41 solid acid catalyst was subsequently applied in the ketalization reaction of glycerol and acetone to produce solketal. By catalyst screening and reaction condition optimization, WOX/MCM-41 obtained by impregnating 20 wt % and calcining at 350 degrees C exhibited the highest solketal yield and catalytic stability.