The adsorption of simple organic molecules which can undergo acid-catalyzed chemistry will be examined in high-silica zeolites using a variety of techniques, including simultaneous temperature-programmed desorption and thermal gravimetric analysis, infrared spectroscopy, and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance. The purpose of these adsorption studies will be to study the interaction of intermediates with the zeolite lattice and ultimately to formulate structure/reactivity relationships which can give insight into the chemistry occurring at the acid sites. Zeolites with different crystal structures and with different trivalent cations incorporated into the lattice will be studied in order to determine how these properties affect the properties of the acid sites. The experiments to be conducted should provide a basis for a more detailed understanding of the acidity of high-silica zeolites.
