Abstract: The Fe-V-β zeolite was hydrothermally synthesized in a SiO2-Fe2O3-V2O5-(TEA)2O-H2O-NH4F system. The structure and chemical composition of the zeolite samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis, inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spetrometry, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry, and ultra-violet-visual diffuse reflection spectroscopy. The factors that affected the synthesis of Fe-V-β zeolite were investigated. The results indicated that the well-crystallized Fe-V-β zeolite could be synthesized from the precursor with SiO2:Fe2O3:V2O5:(TEA)2O:H2O:NH4F molar ratio of 60:(0.1–0.75):(0.1–0.75):(17–18):(550–650):(30–50), and the Fe and V atoms entered the framework of the zeolite. The as-synthesized Fe-V-β zeolite with Si/(Fe+V) = 30 showed higher catalytic activity in the oxidation of styrene using H2O2 as the oxidant. The styrene con-version was 25.4%, and the selectivity was 69.1% for PhCHO, 22.5% for PhCH2CHO, and 4.1% for PhCOMe, respectively.

Key words: iron, vanadium, β zeolite, hydrothermal synthesis, styrene, oxidation, benzaldehyde, benzeneacetaldehyde