Synthesis of mesoporous oxide

Claim 1

A method for synthesizing a composition of matter comprising an inorganic, porous, non-layered crystalline phase material exhbiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak at a position greater than about 18 Angstrom Units d-spacing and exhibiting a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25° C., said method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a reaction mixture capable of forming said composition, said mixture comprising one or more sources of at least one oxide, an organic agent and a solvent or solvent mixture; said oxide being selected from the group consisting of divalent element oxides, trivalent element oxides, tetravalent element oxides and pentavalent element oxides; said organic agent comprising an ion of the formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 Q + , wherein Q is nitrogen or phosphorus and wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is aryl or alkyl of from 6 to about 36 carbon atoms or combinations thereof, the remainder of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and combinations thereof; (b) maintaining said mixture under sufficient conditions of pH, temperature and time for formation of said composition of matter; and (c) recovering said composition of matter, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of (i) forming a solution comprising at least one source of said oxide; and (ii) adding a gelling reagent to said solution of step (i) to convert said solution into a gel.

Claim 2

A method for synthesizing a composition of matter comprising an inorganic, porous, non-layered crystalline phase material exhbiting, after calcination, an X-ray diffraction pattern with at least one peak at a position greater than about 18 Angstrom Units d-spacing and exhibiting a benzene adsorption capacity of greater than about 15 grams benzene per 100 grams at 50 torr and 25° C., said method comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a reaction mixture capable of forming said composition, said mixture comprising one or more sources of at least one oxide, an organic agent and a solvent or solvent mixture; said oxide being selected from the group consisting of divalent element oxides, trivalent element oxides, tetravalent element oxides and pentavalent element oxides; said organic agent comprising an ion of the formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 Q + , wherein Q is nitrogen or phosphorus and wherein at least one of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 is aryl or alkyl of from 6 to about 36 carbon atoms or combinations thereof, the remainder of R 1 , R 2 , R 3 and R 4 being selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms and combinations thereof; (b) maintaining said mixture under sufficient conditions of pH, temperature and time for formation of said composition of matter; and (c) recovering said composition of matter, wherein said step (a) comprises the steps of (i) forming a solution comprising at least one source of said oxide; and (ii) adding a gelling reagent to said solution of step (i) to convert said solution into a gel.