Catalytic applications of mesoporous metallosilicate molecular sieves and methods for their preparation

A process for catalytic peroxide oxidation or hydroxylation reaction of organic molecules to form a reaction product which comprises:

• a) providing a mesoporous metal silicate molecular sieve composition with hexagonal mesopores, wherein the metal is present in place of some of the silicon in the silicate and capable of undergoing a change of oxidation number in an oxidation or reduction reaction, having a framework wall thickness of at least about 17 .ANG., an x-ray scattering domain size of less than about 400 .ANG., a ratio of textural to framework-confined mesopores of at least about 0.2 and a specific surface area of 300 to 1500 square meters per gram prepared from a neutral template which forms the mesopores which is removed from the composition;
• b) mixing the mesoporous silicate molecular sieve composition with an organic substrate at a temperature from 0.degree. to 100.degree. C. to form a mixture;
• c) adding an oxygen containing oxidant to the mixture;
• d) performing said reaction in a liquid phase at temperatures between 0.degree. and 100.degree. C. for at least 10 min to produce the reaction product;
• e) separating the reaction product from the the reaction media.