Isomeric effects on the acidity of Al13 Keggin clusters in porous ionic crystals

We demonstrate a facile synthesis method of a porous ionic crystal (PIC) composed of the little-known δ-Keggin-type cationic polyoxoaluminum cluster ([δ-Al13O4(OH)24(H2O)12]7+, δ-Al13) with an oppositely-charged polyoxometalate, which enabled us to investigate the activity as a solid acid. The δ-Al13 based PIC exhibited much higher activity in pinacol rearrangement, a typical acid-catalyzed reaction, than the PIC based on the well-known and thermodynamically stable rotational isomer (ϵ-Al13). This work is a rare example of rotational isomers of polyoxoaluminum clusters exhibiting remarkably different catalytic activities.