Preparation of a solid superacid of sulfated tin oxide with acidity higher than that of sulfated zirconia and its applications to aldol condensation and benzoylation

A highly active solid superacid of sulfated tin oxide was prepared from tin oxide gel, which was precipitated by the hydrolysis of SnCl4 and washed with aqueous ammonium acetate solution, followed by exposure to aqueous sulfuric acid and calcining. Differencial thermal analysis suggested that the acetate ion remaining on the surface was replaced with sulfate ion. The acid strength of the sulfated tin oxide estimated by temperature-programmed desorption using argon was higher than that of sulfated zirconia, a well-known solid superacid, the activation energy of Ar desorption by the former being 10.6 kJ mol(-1) in comparison with 9.3 kJ mol(-1) by the latter. The sulfated tin oxide showed activities much higher than those of the sulfated zirconia for the skeletal isomerization of n-pentane, the Mukaiyama aldol condensation of 1-trimethylsilyloxy-1-cyclohexene with benzaldehyde, and the benzoylation of toluene with benzoic anhydride.