Cover Feature: Fluorinated Zirconia Prepared by Anionic Exchange of Zirconium Oxo/Hydroxide with Trifluoroacetic Acid: Structure, Acid‐Base and Catalytic Properties (ChemCatChem 14/2023)

The Cover Feature shows the gas-phase dehydrogenation of isopropanol over a new fluorinated zirconia. In their Research Article, S. Mishra, N. Essayem and co-workers prepared the new fluorinated zirconia catalysts by anionic exchange between ZrOx(OH)y and trifluoroacetic acid (TFAH), followed by calcination to decompose TFA groups to produce F species entrapped at the zirconia surface with almost quantitative atomic ratio of Zr and F. The addition of fluorine neutralizes the original basicity of zirconia and generates new Brønsted acid sites as confirmed by calorimetry and FTIR studies of probe molecules adsorption. The new fluorinated zirconia were active and selective catalysts in gas phase isopropanol dehydration into propene and aqueous phase dihydroxyacetone dehydration into pyruvaldehyde. This novel approach to synthesize fluorinated oxides offers a promising alternative to the usual fluorine precursor, HF, which is highly toxic reagent. More information can be found in the Research Article by S. Mishra, N. Essayem and co-workers.