Design of stable nanoporous hybrid chitosan/titania as cooperative bifunctional catalysts

A new method describing the synthesis of hybrid porous materials based on chitosan/titania featuring high surface area and shaped as microspheres is reported. The particular self-assembly properties of chitosan in addition to the mutual chemical interaction between the glucosamine units and the titania precursors control the titania condensation inside the beads of chitosan. The intimate mixing of organic and inorganic frameworks entails a notable improvement on the hydrolytic stability of resulting material when compared to the individual component ones. Moreover, highly active and selective catalytic properties for monoglyceride synthesis stems from the coexistence of the basic sites (NH2 from biopolymer) and acid sites (titanium center) through their cooperative effect.