The Heterogenized Hexazatricyclic Complexes as Solid Acid Catalyst for the Degradation of Rhodamine-b

The present work describes the one-pot template synthesis of solid acid photocatalyst, was designed by the copper(II) complex (CPEA) of 14-membered hexaazamacrocyclic ligand (4, 11-bis- (methyl)-1, 8 alpha - methyl benzyl -1, 3, 6, 8, 10, 13-hexaaza cyclotetradecane) and porous zeolite-Y. The synthesized homogeneous photocatalyst (CPEA) was impregnated in the micropores of zeolite-Y and the solid catalyst termed as CPEAY. The CPEA and CPEAY were investigated by XPS, EPR, FTIR, DRS/UV-visible, XRD, BET, N-2- adsorption isotherms, SEM, TEM, ESI-mass and TGA. The photocatalytic performance of these compounds evaluated in the removal of rhodamine-B (RhB) dye under UV and visible light illumination. At optimized parameters, the CPEAY, exhibits 100 % dye removal efficiency for the degradation of RhB, when compared with CPEA complex. The CPEAY catalyst stability and reusability in the degradation of RhB were comprehensively studied for four times and shows the identical catalytic ability with fresh catalyst.