Simultaneous Mesoporosity Generation and Lewis Acidity Enhancement in Zr‐Based Metallosilicalite for Promoting the Conversion of Ethanol‐Acetaldehyde to 1,3‐Butadiene

Abstract Zr based metallosilicalites, especially Zr‐ ß , is promising catalyst for the conversion of ethanol to 1,3‐butadiene, which is considered to be a sustainable alternative to petroleum steam cracking. However it is suffering from deactivation derived from coking and unsatisfied catalytic activity derived from deficient Lewis acidity. For these issues, a dissolution‐recrystallization process through tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide treatment (TEAOH) for enhancing porosity and Lewis acidity of Zr‐ ß zeolite was developed in this study. A balance of dissolution and recrystallization existed in this process, which was produced by OH − etching and templating of TEA + ions, creating additional mesoporosity. Zirconium active sites maintained tetrahedral coordination, while the Lewis acidity was enhanced by creating higher proportion open sites in framework. The recrystallized Zr‐ ß exhibited higher catalytic activity and stability in the conversion of ethanol‐acetaldehyde to butadiene due to the compromise of microporosity and mesoporosity, as well as the appropriate enhancement of Lewis acidity.