Ultrastable organofunctional microporous to mesoporous silica compositions

A mesostructured, microporous to mesoporous organofunctional silica composition wherein a framework for the composition is comprised of O3Si—R—SiO3 and SiO4 units linked through bridging Si—O—Si bonds;

• wherein R is an organic group bonded to two silicon atoms through silicon-carbon covalent bonds;
• wherein the composition exhibits at least one x-ray diffraction line corresponding to a lattice spacing of at least about 2 nm;
• and wherein the ratio of said units is between 99:1 and 1:99.

A mesostructured, microporous to mesoporous organofunctional silica composition wherein a framework for the composition is comprised of O3Si—R—SiO3 and LSiO3 units linked through bridging Si—O—Si bonds, wherein between 1% and 85% of the silicon atoms in the framework are LSiO3 units;

• wherein L is an organofunctional group linked to one silicon through a silicon-carbon covalent bond and R is an organic group linked to two silicon centers through two silicon-carbon covalent bonds;
• and wherein the composition exhibits at least one x-ray diffraction line corresponding to a lattice spacing between about 1.8 and 10 nm.

A microporous to mesoporous silica composition prepared by calcination at a temperature above 350° C. of a composition comprised of LSiO3 and SiO4 units linked through bridging Si—O—Si bonds, wherein L is an organofunctional group bonded to one silicon atom through a silicon-carbon covalent bond, wherein between above 20% to about 70% of the silicon atoms in the framework are LSiO3 units;

• wherein at least 80% of the silicon atoms in the LSiO3 units are crosslinked through bridging oxygen atoms to three other silicon atoms in the framework;
• and wherein the composition exhibits at least one x-ray diffraction line corresponding to a lattice spacing between about 1.8 nm and 10 nm so as to remove the organofunctional groups, wherein imprinted microporous cavities are present in the framework of the calcined silica.

A microporous to mesoporous silica composition prepared by calcination at temperatures above 350° C. of a composition wherein a framework for the sieve composition are comprised of O3Si—R—SiO3 and LSiO3 units linked through bridging Si—O—Si bonds, wherein between 1% and 85% of the silicon atoms in the framework are LSiO3 units;

• wherein L is an organofunctional group linked to one silicon through a silicon-carbon covalent bond and R is an organic group linked to two silicon centers through two silicon-carbon covalent bonds;
• and wherein the composition exhibits at least one x-ray diffraction line corresponding to a lattice spacing between about 1.8 and 10 nm so as to remove the organofunctional groups, wherein imprinted microporous cavities are present in the framework of the calcined silica.