Synthesis and sulfation of titanium based metal organic framework; MIL-125 and usage as catalyst in esterification reactions

In this study, titanium based metal organic framework, MIL-125, was synthesized and sulfated to gain the acidic property. The samples were characterized by XRD, TGA, N-2 sorption-desorption measurements, SEM and FT-IR analysis. The catalytic activity of raw and sulfated MIL-125 was tested in esterification of acetic acid. The experiments were conducted by raw and sulfated MIL-125 to understand the positive effect of sulfation on the catalytic activity of MIL-125. Also, reusability of sulfated MIL-125 was investigated. By using sulfated MIL-125 as catalyst, high conversions were obtained in the production of esters which are among the most important chemical products.