Synthesis, Characterization, and Application of Hybrid Inorganic–Organic Composites (K/Na)ZrSi(R)O

Hybrid inorganic–organic composites, (K/Na)ZrSi(R)O, were synthesized from the hydrolysis of the mixture of zirconium n-propoxide (Zr(OPr)) and 3-glycidyloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPTS) in 1:1 mol ratio. The hydrolysis reaction was carried out with 0.1 molar HCl in 150 ml of butanol. Then, the synthesized Zr(OPr)-GPTS-hydrolyzate reacted with KOBu and NaOSiMe in 1:1 mol ratio at 40 and 50 °C for 24 h, respectively. After these stages, composites were washed and dried under vacuum. Composites and their oxide prepared at 1250 °C by calcinations were characterized by a combination of powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, Barrett–Joyner–Halenda analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies. These hybrid inorganic–organic composites except oxides were used as catalysts in order to see their activities in the polymerization of ε-caprolactone (ε-CL). This study showed that new composite materials except their oxides were effective catalyst in ε-CL polymerization.