Ce-modified mesoporous silica materials MCM-41 and SBA-15, namely 32 wt % Ce–Si–MCM-41, 16 wt % Ce–H–MCM-41 and 20 wt % Ce–Si–SBA-15, were prepared, characterized and studied in the selective preparation of trans-carveol by α-pinene oxide isomerization. The characterizations of these catalysts were performed using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption and FTIR pyridine adsorption. Selective preparation of trans-carveol was carried out in the liquid phase in a batch reactor. The activity and the selectivity of catalyst were observed to be influenced by their acidity, basicity and morphology of the mesoporous materials. The formation of trans-carveol is moreover strongly influenced by the basicity of the used solvent and in order to achieve high yields of this desired alcohol it is necessary to use polar basic solvent.

The presented report focuses on an in-depth detailed characterization of immobilized methyltrioxorhenium (MTO), giving catalysts with a wide spectra of utilization. The range of mesoporous materials with different SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios, namely mesoporous alumina (MA), aluminosilicates type Siral (with Al content 60%–90%) and MCM-41, were used as supports for immobilization of MTO. The tested support materials (aluminous/siliceous) exhibited high surface area, well-defined regular structure and narrow pore size distribution of mesopores, and therefore represent excellent supports for the active components. Some of the supports were modified by zinc chloride in order to obtain catalysts with higher activities for instance in metathesis reactions. The immobilization of MTO was optimized using these supports and it was successful using all supports. The success of the immobilization of MTO and the properties of the prepared heterogeneous catalysts were characterized using X-ray Fluorescence (XRF), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), physical adsorption of N₂, ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) using pyridine as a probe molecule and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Furthermore, the catalytic activity of the immobilized MTO on the tested supports was demonstrated on metathesis reactions of various substrates.