Nano-porous Composites Based on Heteropolyacid Functionalized Ionic Liquid: Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Performance in Esterification

Functionalized ionic liquid samples (bmim-PW₁₂) were synthesized by 1-butyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide (bmimBr) and 12-phosphotungstic heteropolyacid (PW₁₂). The sam-ples were annealed at 100-450 oC and were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spec-troscopy, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, thermal gravity-DTG, brunauer emmett teller, and NH₃-temperature programmed desorption. The results showed that the bmim-PW₁₂ samples were crystal and maintained intact Keggin structure. The organic parts of those samples were partly decomposed at a temperature more than 350 oC. The sample annealed at 400 oC exhibited nano-porous structure, strong acidity, and excellent catalytic activity on the esterification of n-butanol with acetic acid. The higher ester yield was ob-tained when the mass ratio of catalyst over the reactants amount was 5% for bmim-PW₁₂ catalyst annealed at 400 oC.