Supported mesoporous solid base catalysts for condensation of carboxylic acids

New mesoporous base catalysts (CM-HMS and CM-MCM-41) were synthesized by generating uniform particles of cerium and manganese oxides (MnOx/CeO2) in situ within hexagonal mesoporous silica (HMS) and MCM-41 supports. These catalysts were characterized by N2 adsorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX), FTIR, temperature-programmed desorption of CO2 (CO2-TPD), and diffuse reflectance UV–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy. Spectroscopic studies reveal that some particles of MnOx/CeO2 are incorporated into the walls of the silica network of HMS and MCM-41, while others are highly dispersed onto the surface of the HMS or MCM-41. The catalytic activity of CM-HMS and CM-MCM-41 for the ketonization of carboxylic acids was confirmed; better utilization of Ce and Mn was observed than in unsupported MnOx/CeO2. The citrate-based preparation of MnOx/CeO2 catalyst supported on HMS and MCM-41 has not been previously reported in the literature.