Silica sulfuric acid (SiO
2-OSO
3H, SSA), a solid acid, is prepared by soaking silica gel with sulfuric acid. SSA is used as a catalyst in different organic synthesis process. Silica sulfuric acid is considered as cheap, nonhazardous and easy to handle solid acid catalyst with high acidity.
Contents
Synthesis
In a typical process, SSA is prepared by soaking silica gel into sulfuric acid of an appropriate concentration. Then moisture and water content of the mixture was evaporated by heating at high temperature (120–180 °C).
SiO2–OH + HO–SO3H → SiO2–OSO3H + H2OUse
Silica sulfuric acid is mostly used as a solid acid catalyst in organic conversion.
References
Silica sulfuric acid Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA