LAUSR

Hierarchical Fe,Cu/ZSM-5 was prepared by post-synthesis treatment of nanocrystallite B–ZSM-5. The hierarchical MFI zeolites containing Fe and/or Cu were characterized with XRD, FT-IR, SEM, UV–Vis and N2-sorption techniques. UV–Vis and FT-IR spectroscopy demonstrated that some of the Fe and Cu cations were incorporated into the zeolite framework. Direct amination of benzene to aniline with H2O2 and NH3 was studied using a series of Fe and/or Cu doped ZSM-5 catalysts. The effect of Fe and/or Cu incorporation into ZSM-5 catalyst and crystallite size of the catalyst on the benzene conversion, product distribution and aniline selectivity in the direct amination reaction was investigated. Nanocrystallite hierarchical Fe,Cu/ZSM-5 exhibited the best catalytic oxido-amination performance (conversion of benzene was 23.7% and selectivity for aniline was 74.1%).