title: Multinuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy studies of the structuration of the tunnels of sepiolite in the presence of intracrystalline pyridine molecules.
abstract: Sepiolite, a naturally occurring magnesiosilicate nanoporous clay mineral with a tunnel structure, contains two types of water molecules in the structure: zeolitic water trapped inside the tunnels and structural water molecules which interact strongly with magnesium cations. The zeolitic water was removed by heating the sepiolite to 120 degrees C. The partially dehydrated sepiolite absorbed pyridine vapor to produce an intercalated material where the pyridine takes the place of the zeolitic water. 1H solid-state MAS NMR spectroscopy showed that there is isotopic H/D exchange between pyridine-d5 and the remaining structural water molecules of the sepiolite framework. The exchange takes place at room temperature over several days. Wide line solid state 2H NMR of the sequestered pyridine-d5 showed that two populations of pyridine molecules coexist in the material: one very mobile physisorbed population, which can be removed by heating at 90 degrees C, and a population due to pyridine trapped in the tunnels. Except for small in-plane librations, the trapped pyridine was shown to be held rigidly by the sepiolite. When the pyridine intercalated material is heated at 400 degrees C the structural water and some of the pyridine is lost. The remaining pyridine takes the place of the structural water to produce a new inorganic-organic nanohybrid material with the pyridine bound to the terminal Mg(II) in the structure. The pyridine in this material as well as the intercalated material was characterized by slow-spinning 15N and 13C CP/MAS NMR spectroscopy. The 15N NMR was shown to be a very sensitive probe to characterize the various types of pyridine. The data indicate that pyridine molecules in the inorganic-organic nanohybrid material are directly bound to magnesium cations exposed in the tunnels of sepiolite.
authors.affiliation: Center for Research and Innovation in Catalysis and Department of Chemistry, University of Ottawa, Ottawa (Ontario), Canada K1N6N5.
authors.forename: Glenn A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Facey
authors.forename: Wenxing
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Detellier