A New Aluminosilicate Molecular Sieve with a System of Pores between Those of ZSM-5 and Beta Zeolite

A new aluminosilicate zeolite (ITQ-39) has been synthesized. This is an extensively faulted structure with very small domains that makes the structure elucidation very difficult. However, a combination of adsorption spectroscopy and reactivity studies with selected probe molecules suggests that the pore structure of ITQ-39 is related to that of Beta zeolite, with a three-directional channel system with large pores (12-MR), but with an effective pore diameter between those of Beta and ZSM-5, or a three-directional channel system with interconnected large (12-MR) and medium pores (10-MR). The pore topology of ITQ-39 is very attractive for catalysis and shows excellent results for the preparation of cumene by alkylation of benzene, while it can be a promising additive for FCC.