Phase-transfer catalysis with onium-containing synthetic mesoporous crystalline material

A method for carrying out phase-transfer catalysis in a plural phase reaction system containing an organic phase and an aqueous phase, maintained under phase-transfer catalysis conditions, with a synthetic composition of matter comprising an inorganic ultra-large pore non-layered crystalline material which contains immobilized onium ion within its pores, wherein said crystalline phase material has a hexagonal arrangement of uniformly-sized pores having diameters of at least about 15 Angstrom Units, and a composition, expressed on an anhydrous basis as follows:

• rRM.sub.n/q (W.sub.a X.sub.b Y.sub.c Z.sub.d O.sub.h)
• wherein R is the total organic material not included in M and comprises an onium ion of the formula:
• ##STR1## wherein Q is nitrogen or phosphorus and wherein at least one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 is aryl or alkyl of from 6 to about 36 carbon atoms, the remainder of R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3 and R.sub.4 being selected the group consisting of hydrogen and alkyl of from 1 to 5 carbon atoms;
• r is the number of moles or mole fraction of R;
• M is one or more ions;
• n is the charge of the composition excluding M expressed as oxides;
• q is the weighted molar average valence of M;
• n/q is the number of moles or mole fraction of M;
• W is one or more divalent elements;
• X is one or more trivalent elements;
• Y is one or more tetravalent elements;
• Z is one or more pentavalent elements;
• a, b, c, and d are mole fractions of W, X, Y, and Z, respectively;
• h is a number from 1 to 2.5;
• and ( a+b+c+d)=1, said crystalline phase exhibiting a hexagonal electron diffraction pattern that can be indexed with a d.sub.100 value greater than about 18 Angstrom Units whereby said composition of matter transfers a functional reactant ion or group from one phase to another phase.