Breakthrough mesopore creation in BEA and its enhanced catalytic performance in solvent-free liquid phase tert-butylation of phenol

Here we report a breakthrough increase in porosity of a BEA zeolite (1.1822 cm(3) g(-1)) through mesopore creation (mesopores contribute to 93% pore volume with an average pore diameter of 10.5 nm) by employing a sequential treatment of alkali and ammonium nitrate without causing any structural damage to the zeolite. The material exhibited enhanced catalytic properties in the tert-butylation of phenol in terms of phenol conversion and 2,4 di-TBP selectivity in the solvent-free liquid phase reaction.