Zeolite-Encapsulated Copper(II) Amino Acid Complexes: Synthesis, Spectroscopy, and Catalysis

The spectroscopic properties and catalytic behavior of Cu(AA) n m + complexes (AA = amino acid (glycine, lysine, histidine, alanine, serine, proline, tyrosine, phenylalanine, glutamine, glutamic acid, cysteine, tryptophan, leucine, and arginine)) in faujasite-type zeolites have been investigated. Successful immobilization was achieved by a simple cation exchange procedure with aqueous solutions of preformed Cu(AA) n m + complexes. The best ion exchange results were obtained with lysine, arginine, proline (at pH = 10), and histidine (at pH = 7.3) as ligands and with a AA:Cu 2+ ratio of 5. The internal surface and pore volume are drastically reduced by the uptake of the Cu(AA) n m + complexes, and no precipitation of Cu(AA) n m + crystals was observed by scanning electron microscopy. Both observations suggest the location of the complexes in the supercages of the faujasite-type zeolites. The composition of the first coordination sphere around Cu 2+ can be designed from NNNN to NOOO by varying the type of amino acid. A free coordination site is available for catalysis, and the oxidation of alcohols, alkanes, and alkenes with peroxides was observed at low temperatures.