The phase behavior of CO2 + polymer systems is of interest in polymer synthesis, flue and natural gas processing, polymer foam and nanoparticle processing, and drug delivery. Theoretical and experimental evidence suggests that CO2 is able to interact with electron donating functional groups in polymers to form weak Lewis acid – base or EDA (Electron Donor Acceptor) complexes. These complexes can have a significant effect on the phase behavior of associated CO2 + polymer systems. In spite of this, however, the phase equilibria of only a few associated CO2 + polymer systems have been measured. Some success in modeling the phase behavior of polymer solutions has been achieved by various versions of the Statistical Association Fluid Theory (SAFT), as well as by several Lattice Models. However, many of these models incorporate two to four adjustable parameters that often depend on temperature (T), pressure (P), and/or molecular weight (MW). As a result, a large amount of experimental data is required to apply these models. The goal of the present work was therefore to develop a new thermodynamic model for associating systems that would include no more than two temperature-independent adjustable parameters. The new model presented in this work is based on the Guggenheim-Huggins-Miller lattice and includes complex formation in the development of the partition function. The EOS obtained from the resulting partition function includes two mixture parameters – the enthalpy of association or complex formation and a reference value of the equilibrium constant for complex formation . Most importantly, can be obtained from in situ Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared (ATR – FTIR) measurements. This work therefore demonstrates the use of ATR – FTIR spectra to obtain molecular level information regarding the interaction of CO2 and electron donating functional groups in polymers. Unlike other studies, this work uses the bending vibration of CO2 to estimate the enthalpies of association ( ) of CO2 + polymer systems. Values of were directly incorporated in the new model and were found to lie between -7 and -12 kJ/mol for the systems investigated in this work. They increased (i.e. became more negative) in the order: CO2 + PS-co-PMMA < CO2 + PMMA <CO2 + PBMA < CO2 + PSF < CO2 + PVAc < CO2 + EVA40 < CO2 + PEG. Values of the second parameter in the new EOS ( ) were obtained by fitting solubility data at one temperature. Both and were found to be temperature independent. The application of the new EOS was demonstrated by calculating the solubility (sorption) of CO2 in polymers, the extent of swelling of polymers due to CO2, and the solubility of polymers in CO2 (cloud points). Both sorption and cloud point behavior in CO2 + polymer systems could be calculated using a single value of for each binary system. Ionic Liquids (ILs) can also incorporate electron donating functional groups in their structure. Evidence for the interaction of such ILs with CO2 can be found in the large values of the enthalpies of absorption of CO2 in these ILs. The ALF EOS was therefore extended to CO2 + IL systems using the enthalpy of absorption as a measure of association ( ) in these systems. was again treated as an adjustable parameter in the calculation of the CO2 solubility in ILs. A single value of was sufficient to predict swelling in these systems within experimental error.

The strength of efficient metal-free catalysis will be examined in this thesis. Efforts towards more sustainable processes will be demonstrated through implementation of strategies that meet several of the 12 principles of Green Chemistry.In the first part, a stereoselective total synthesis of multiple alkaloids from the Corynantheine and Ipecac families together with their non-natural analogues will be disclosed. A highly efficient, common synthetic strategy is applied leading to high overall yields starting from easily available starting material. Overall operational simplicity and sustainability have been the main focus. Time-consuming and waste-generating isolations and purifications of intermediates have been minimized, as well as the introduction of protection-group chemistry. Moreover, the first example of the total synthesis of Hydroxydihydrocorynantheol together with its non-natural epimer has been accomplished in multi-gram scale without protection groups and without a single isolation or purification step in high overall yield and diastereoselectivity.In the second part, carbocations will be presented as highly effective and versatile non-metal Lewis acid catalysts. Lewis acidity-tuning of carbocations will be introduced and applied in several reactions to suppress competing reactions. Finally, the broad scope of carbocation catalyzed transformations will be exposed.At large, evident progress has been made towards more sustainable chemistry. / <p>QC 20140425</p>

Biomass is increasingly used as a feedstock in global energy production. This may present operational challenges in energy conversion processes which are related to the inorganic content of these biomasses. As a larger variety of biomass is used the need for a basic understanding of ash transformation reactions becomes increasingly important. This is not only to reduce operational problems but also to facilitate the use of ash as a nutrient source for new biomass production. Ash transformation reactions were examined in the present work using the Lewis acid-base concept. The model presented in Paper I was further extended and discussed, including the definition of tertiary ash transformation reactions as reaction steps where negatively charged molecular ions, Lewis bases, other than hydroxides are present in the reactants. The effect of such reactions for bonding of various metal ions, Lewis acids, were discussed. It was found that the formation of various phosphates through secondary and tertiary ash transformation reactions is important for the behaviour of biomass ash in combustion. The suggested model was supported by findings in Papers II-VIII. The experimental findings in Papers II-VIII were discussed in terms of ash transformation reactions. The fuel design choices made to investigate the effect of phosphorus in particular on ash transformation reactions were high-lighted. Addition of phosphoric acid to woody-type and agricultural biomasses showed that phosphate formation has a large influence on the speciation of Si, S, and Cl. Co-combustion of a problematic agricultural residue with other biomasses showed that the relation between phosphorus, alkali and alkaline earth metal content is important. Co-combustion of biosolids with wheat straw was shown to greatly improve the combustion properties of wheat straw. It was suggested that fuel analyses should be presented using molar concentration (mole/kg) in diagrams based on ash transformation reactions and elements forming Lewis acids or bases. This may facilitate the assessment of the combustion behaviour of a fuel. Some comments were made on fuel design and additives, specifically pointing out that phosphorus content should always be carefully considered in relation to alkali and alkaline earth metals in fuels and fuel blends.

Specific Interactions in Carbon Dioxide + Polymer Systems Anupama Kasturirangan 163 Pages Directed by Dr. Amyn S. Teja Weak complex formation in CO2 + polymer and CO2 + copolymer systems containing C=O and C-F groups was quantified using in situ FTIR spectroscopy. The enthalpy of interaction thus obtained was directly incorporated into a lattice model and compressibility effects were accounted for via ratio of free volumes in modified segment number. CO2 + fluropolymer phase behavior could be correlated within experimental error (AAD of about 2%) using the new model, a task that has been beyond the capability of published models and it was also possible to predict phase equilibria of CO2 + PLGA copolymer systems with a single parameter obtained by fitting cloud point behavior in a reference system (CO2 + PLA in this case).New data on sorption equilibria in several CO2 + PLGA systems were obtained using a quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) and new data on Tg depression in the CO2 + PLA system were also obtained using a high pressure DSC method and used to demonstarte that model parameters are valid over extended pressure ranges. The new compressible lattice model developed is thus able to correlate cloud points, sorption equilibria, glass transition temperatures, and melting points using a single parameter. The model is therefore likely to be beneficial in many applications involving CO2 + polymer systems including drug delivery and encapsulation, polymer coating, and membranes for natural gas separations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi investigar o uso de NbCl5 como ácido de Lewis em reações de cicloadição. Foram estudadas algumas reações de cicloadição [2 + 2], Reações de Diels-Alder entre enonas e ciclopentadieno e Reações da aza-Diels-Alder com bases de Schiff, avaliando o efeito da temperatura e da concentração molar do NbCl5. A comparação dos rendimentos, dos produtos formados e do tempo de reação com NbCl5, também foi um ponto fundamental da pesquisa. As reações de cicloadição [2 + 2] foram realizadas entre ésteres propiólicos e diferentes tipos de alcenos (éteres enólicos de silício e alcenos alifáticos). Nas reações com os éteres enólicos de silício não foi verificada a formação dos respectivos adutos de ciclobuteno, pois o NbCl5 promove a quebra da ligação oxigênio-silício, não levando à formação do produto desejado. Nas reações com os alcenos alifáticos foi possível obter o respectivo aduto, porém com rendimentos menores que com outros ácidos de Lewis. Quanto às reações de Diels-Alder, foram investigadas as reações entre diferentes ciclo-enonas (dienófilos de baixa reatividade) com ciclopentadieno (dieno) na presença de NbCl5. Os resultados obtidos indicam que o NbCl5 é um bom ácido de Lewis para ativar reações de Diels-Alder, apresentando tempos reacionais menores e alta diastereosseletividade a temperaturas mais baixas, quando comparado com outros ácidos de Lewis. A possibilidade de efetuar reações do Diels-Alder a -78 0C é um dos aspectos de destaque neste trabalho, pois, além de demonstrar a forte ativação do sistema enona exercido pelo NbCl5, possibilita obter produtos com alta seletividade. Paralelamente aos estudos de sistemática reacional foram realizados estudos de elucidação estrutural completa de alguns dos compostos sintetizados, utilizando-se diversas técnicas de RMN (uni e bidimensionais), e o auxílio de cálculos teóricos. Nas reações de aza-Diels-Alder entre bases de Schiff e di-hidropirano, o NbCl5 se mostrou um ótimo catalisador para a síntese de derivados de piranoquinolinas. Estes derivados formam uma importante classe de produtos naturais que apresentam ampla atividade biológica. As reações foram conduzidas com baixas concentrações de nióbio e em tempos relativamente curtos, obtendo-se rendimentos variando de 72 a 96 %. Outro fator a se destacar é a alta diastereosseletividade encontrada nestas reações. Também foram realizados estudos da atividade tripanocida dos derivados de piranoquinolinas preparados através das reações de aza-Diels-Alder catalisadas por NbCl5. / The aim of this work was to investigate the use of NbCl5 as Lewis acid in cycloadittion reactions. We have studied [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions, Diels-Alder reactions between enonas and cyclopentadiene and aza-Diels-Alder reactions with Schiff bases. The effects of the temperature and of the molar concentration of NbCl5 were also evaluated. Comparasion of reaction yields, obtained products as well as reation time with NbCl5 were also a key point on this work. The [2 + 2] cycloaddition reactions were performed using propiolic ester and different types of alkenes (silyl enol ethers and aliphatic alkenes). In the reactions with silyl enol ethers, formation of the corresponding cyclobutene aductts was not verified, since the NbCl5 promotes the rupture of oxygen-silicon bonds, and the desired product is not obtained. In the reactions with aliphatic alkenes, it was possible to obtain the adduct, however, in lower yields as compared to those obtained with others Lewis acids. Regarding the Diels-Alder reactions, we have investigated reactions using different cycloenones (dienophiles of low reactivity) with cyclopentadiene (diene) with NbCl5. The obtained results indicate that NbCl5 is a good Lewis acid to activate these Diels-Alder reactions, resulting in shorter reaction times and higher diastereoselectivity at lower temperatures than other Lewis acids. The possibility of carrying out Diels-Alder reaction at -78 0C is another remarkable aspect of this work. Besides demonstrating the strong activation of the enone system by NbCl5, it opens the possibility of obtaining high stereoselectivity. We have also performed studies of complete structural elucidation of some compounds by using different NMR techniques (uni and bidimensional), with the help of theoretical calculations. In the aza-Diels-Alder reactions between Schiff bases and dihydropyran, the NbCl5 was an excellent catalyst for the synthesis of pyranoquinoline derivatives. These derivatives are an importante class of natural products that exhibit wide range of biological activity. The reactions were carried out at low concentration of niobium and in relatively short times, resulting in yields varying from 72 to 96 %. Another aspect that should be remarked is the high diastereoselectivity found in these reactions. We have also carried out studies of tripanocydal activity of pyranoquinoline derivatives prepared through aza-Diels-Alder reactions catalyzed by NbCl5.

No presente trabalho foram realizados estudos de regiosseletividade das reações de abertura de 2,3-epoxipropanoato de etila (1) utilizando diferentes nucleófilos de selênio e algumas dessas reações foram desenvolvidas com a adição do ácido de Lewis trifluoreto de boro dietil éter (BF3&#183;Et2O). A abertura desse oxirano ao utilizar os nucleófilos MeSeMgCl e MeSeLi-BF3&#183;Et2O ocorreu seletivamente no Carbono C-3 formando o composto de interesse (3-metilseleno 2-hidroxipropanoato de etila), já ao utilizar MeSeLi (em ausência ácido de Lewis) a abertura procedeu-se seletivamente no carbono C-2 formando 2-metilseleno-3-hidroxipropanoato de etila. A reação com o nucleófilo (Na[PhSeB(OEt)3]) levou à mistura desses regioisômeros. O ácido de Lewis BF3&#183;Et2O em presença do selenolato levou a inversão de regiosseletividade da reação de abertura do epóxido 1 e a razão estequiométrica de BF3&#183;Et2O adicionada ao meio reacional correspondeu, proporcionalmente, a porcentagem de obtenção do produto de abertura em C-3 (Tabela 1). Os resultados obtidos sugeriram que BF3&#183;Et2O altera a nucleofilicidade do selenolato (RMN de 77Se) a partir de uma interação selênio-boro. A formação da ligação Se-B pode ocorrer com ou sem a liberação de fluoreto e esse mecanismo foi investigado por meio do emprego de uma sonda fluorescente seletiva desse haleto. O mecanismo dessas reações também foram investigados por cálculos teóricos, os quais mostram-se totalmente coerentes com os resultados experimentais. / In the present work was studied reactions of regioselective opening of 2,3-epoxyester using different selenolatos and some of this reactions were developed by adding Lewis acid BF3&#183;Et2O. The opening reaction of this oxirane using the nucleofilms MeSeMgCl and MeSeLi-BF3&#183;Et2O occurred selectively in carbon C-3 forming the compound of interest (ethyl 3-methylselene 2-hydroxypropanoato of ethyl), already using MeSeLi (in Lewis acid absence) the reaction was selectively on C-2 carbon to form ethyl 2-methylselene-3-hydroxypropanoate. The reaction with the nucleophile (Na[PhSeB(OEt)3]) formed a mixing of these regioisomers. The Lewis acid BF3&#183;Et2O in presence of selenolate reverses the regioselectivity of opening epoxide (1) reaction and the stoichiometric value of BF3&#183;Et2O added in the reaction corresponded proportionally with the percentage of C-3 product (Table 1). The results suggested that BF3&#183;Et2O alters the nucleophilicity of selenolate (77Se NMR) from a selenium-boron interaction. Se-B bond formation may occur with or without fluoride release and this mechanism has been investigated by the use of a selective fluorescent probe of that halide. The mechanism of these reactions was also investigated by theoretical calculations, which are fully consistent with the experimental results.

Coordination chemistry usually applies to transition metals, but has recently been extended to the p-block elements. For the pnictogen atoms (group 15), this type of coordination chemistry has already been applied to antimony and bismuth, where they behave as Lewis acceptor centres. However, complexes with nitrogen and phosphorus as Lewis acidic centres are rare, due to their relatively small atomic radii and inherent basic nature. Instead, these elements (Pn(III)) are typically observed as donor centres because they are better at donating their electron pair, than they are at accepting them. To enhance the Lewis acidity at the phosphorus and nitrogen centres, a cationic charge can be introduced by heterolytically abstracting a halide and replacing it with a weakly coordinating anion, providing more opportunities for new reactivity. The presence of a stereochemically active lone pair at the acceptor site also introduces new reactivity patterns to be explored. The formation of these main group coordination complexes opens doors to potential applications in catalysis, small molecule activation, or as material precursors. 2,2’-bipyridine (bipy) has been a prototypical ligand used in transition metal coordination chemistry due to its high basicity and oxidative resistance. This property has been exploited to enable a comprehensive study of a series of Pn(III) tricationic and dicationic complexes using 2,2’-bipyridine (bipy); 4,4’-di-tert-butyl-2,2’-bipyridine (tBu2bipy); 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP); and other main group containing ligands. / Graduate

No description available.

<div><div><div><p>Lewis acid zeolites contain framework metal heteroatoms that catalyze sugar iso- merization reactions at different turnover rates depending on the local coordination around metal centers and the polarity of their confining secondary environments. Post-synthetic modification routes that react metal precursors with framework va- cancy defects in dealuminated Beta zeolites (Sn-Beta-PS-OH) are developed as an alternative synthetic strategy to the hydrothermal crystallization of Sn-Beta zeolites (Sn-Beta-HT-F). Post-synthetic routes provide the ability to systematically tailor the structural features of active and defect sites in Sn-zeolites, especially in composition ranges inaccessible to materials crystallized by hydrothermal routes (Si/Sn < 100; > 2 wt.% Sn), yet often result in incomplete or unselective Sn grafting within framework vacancy defects and form extraframework metal oxide domains and residual defect sites. The development of robust post-synthetic routes to prepare Sn-zeolites with intended active and defect structures has been limited by the dearth of characteri- zation techniques to unambiguously detect and quantify such structures present in stannosilicate materials, and of mechanistic links between such structures and the turnover rates of catalytic reactions.</p><p><br></p><p>The presence of framework Sn centers that can expand its coordination shell from four- to six-coordinate structures, and small extraframework tin oxide domains that cannot, were unambiguously detected from diffuse reflectance UV-Visible spectra of stannosilicate materials measured after dehydration treatments (523 K, 0.5 h) to discern ligand-to-metal charge transfer bands for tetrahedrally-coordinated Sn heteroatoms (< 220 nm, > 4.1 eV) and those for tin oxide domains (> 230 nm, < 4.1 eV). Liquid-phase grafting of stannic chloride in dichloromethane reflux (333 K) enables preparing Sn-Beta zeolites with higher framework Sn content (Si/Sn = 30– 144; 1.4–6.1 wt.% Sn) than grafting performed in isopropanol reflux (423 K, Si/Sn > 120; 1.6 wt.% Sn). This reflects competitive adsorption of isopropanol solvents with stannic chloride at framework vacancy defects during grafting procedures, consistent with infrared spectroscopy (IR) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD) of dealuminated Beta samples after saturation with isopropanol at reflux temperatures (423 K), and not any limitations inherent to the structure of vacancy defects within dealuminated zeolite supports that would prevent reaction with metal precursors as often proposed.</p><p><br></p></div></div></div><div><div><div><p>This insight enabled preparing Sn-Beta zeolites with varying densities of residual defects, via dichloromethane-assisted grafting of stannic chloride to different extents, into dealuminated Beta supports of different initial Al content (Si/Al = 19–180) and mineralizing agent used for hydrothermal crystallization of the parent Al-Beta sam- ple (e.g., fluoride or hydroxide). Preparation of low-defect Sn-Beta zeolites using post-synthetic routes (Sn-Beta-PS-F) first required the synthesis of parent Al-Beta zeolites in fluoride media to minimize residual siloxy defects (OSi−) formed during crystallization, and dilute Al content (Si/Al > 100, < 0.6 Al (unit cell)−1), to min- imize the density of intrapore silanol groups formed after dealumination and high temperature oxidative treatment. The methanol packing density within microporous voids of Sn-Beta zeolites was assessed from relative volumetric uptakes at the point of micropore filling from single-component methanol (293 K) and nitrogen (77 K) adsorption isotherms, and decreased systematically among samples with increasing density of silanol groups. The total density of silanol groups within micropores and at external crystallite surface in Sn-Beta zeolites was quantified by H/D isotopic ex- change during temperature-programmed surface reactions (500–873 K), and within microporous voids from IR spectra measured after saturation of microporous binding sites with CD3CN (2275 cm−1, 303 K). In situ IR spectra collected at low methanol pressures (P/P0 < 0.2, 303 K) provide further evidence that methanol molecules ar- range in localized clusters within Sn-Beta-PS-F, but form extended hydrogen-bonded networks within Sn-Beta-PS-OH.</p><p><br></p></div></div></div><div><div><div><p>Glucose-fructose isomerization rate constants (373 K) were used to probe the lo- cal coordination of Sn heteroatoms and the polarity of the secondary environment as influenced by silanol defects within microporous cavities. Ex situ pyridine titration of Sn-Beta-HT-F samples suppressed isomerization rates (per total Sn, 373 K) after only a subset of Sn sites were poisoned, which correspond to the number of open Sn sites quantified ex situ via CD3CN IR (303 K), providing further evidence that open Sn sites are dominant active sites for glucose isomerization. First-order isomerization rate constants (373 K) decrease with increasing Sn content when normalized by total Sn density, and are invariant when normalized by the number of open Sn sites, be- cause open Sn sites are grafted preferentially within Sn-Beta-PS-OH (Si/Sn = 30–144; 1.4–6.1 wt.% Sn) at low Sn densities. Isomerization rate constants (per open Sn, 373 K), however, are lower by ∼4x and ∼15x on Sn-Beta-PS-F (Si/Sn = 284; 0.7 wt.% Sn) and Sn-Beta-PS-OH, respectively, than on Sn-Beta-HT-F. Open Sn sites catalyze aqueous-phase glucose isomerization at higher turnover rates (373 K) when their mi- croporous surroundings contain silanol defects present in low (hydrophobic) densities than high (hydrophilic) densities, which are characteristic of Sn-Beta-HT-F and Sn- Beta-PS-OH samples, respectively. This reflects reorganization of extended water networks, which are stabilized in high-defect, hydrophilic micropore environments, at kinetically relevant 1,2-hydride shift transition states that incurs entropic penal- ties that lower turnover rates. This thesis highlights the development of synthesis- structure-function relationships to guide the preparation of catalytic materials with intended active and defect site structures within confining reaction environments, the development of characterization techniques for the identification and quantification of such structures, and the influence of such structures on turnover rates of liquid-phase sugar isomerization.</p></div></div></div>

Brønsted and Lewis acid sites located within microporous solids catalyze a variety of chemical transformations of oxygenates and hydrocarbons. Such reactions occur in condensed phases in envisioned biomass and shale gas upgrading routes, motivating deeper fundamental understanding of the reactivity-determining interactions among active sites, reactants, and solvents. The crystalline structures of zeolites, which consist of SiO₄ tetrahedra with isomorphously-substituted M⁴⁺ (e.g., Sn⁴⁺, Ti⁴⁺) as Lewis acid sites, or Al³⁺ with charge-compensating extraframework H⁺ as Brønsted acid sites, provide a reasonably well-defined platform to study these interactions within confining voids of molecular dimension. In this work, gas-phase probe reactions that afford independent control of solvent coverages are developed and used to interpret measured rate data in terms of rate and equilibrium constants for elementary steps, which reflect the structure and stability of kinetically relevant transition states and reactive intermediates. The foundational role of quantitative kinetic information enables building molecular insights into the mechanistic and active site requirements of catalytic reactions, when combined with complementary tools including synthetic approaches to prepare active sites and surrounding environments of diverse and intended structure, quantitative methods to characterize and titrate active sites and functional groups in confining environments, and theoretical modeling of putative active site structures and plausible reaction coordinates.<br><div><br></div><div>Bimolecular ethanol dehydration to diethyl ether was developed as a gas-phase catalytic probe reaction for Lewis acid zeolites. A detailed mechanistic understanding of the identities of reactive intermediates and transition states on Sn-Beta zeolites was constructed by combining experimental kinetic measurements with density functional theory treatments. Microkinetic modeling demonstrated that Sn active site configurations undergo equilibrated interconversion during catalysis (404 K, 0.5–35 kPa C₂H₅OH, 0.1–50 kPa H₂O) from hydrolyzed-open configurations ((HO)-Sn-(OSi≡)₃---HO-Si) to predominantly closed configurations (Sn-(OSi≡)₄), and identified the most abundant productive (ethanol-ethanol dimer) and inhibitory (ethanol-water dimer) reactive intermediates and kinetically relevant transition state (S_N2 at closed sites). Mechanism-based interpretations of bimolecular ethanol dehydration turnover rates (per Lewis acidic Sn, quantified by CD₃CN IR) enabled measuring chemically significant differences between samples synthesized to contain high or low densities of residual Si-OH defects (quantified by CD₃CN IR) within microporous environments that confine Sn active sites. Hydrogen-bonding interactions with Si-OH groups located in the vicinity of Sn active sites in high-defect Sn-Beta zeolites stabilize both reactive and inhibitory intermediates, leading to differences in reactivity within polar and non-polar micropores that reflect solely the different coverages of intermediates at active sites. The ability of confining microporous voids to discriminate among reactive intermediates and transition states on the basis of polarity thus provides a strategy to mitigate inhibition by water and to influence turnover rates by designing secondary environments of different polarity via synthetic and post-synthetic techniques. </div><div><br></div><div>Despite the expectation from theory that Sn active sites adopt the same closed configurations after high-temperature (823 K) oxidation treatments, distinct Sn sites can be experimentally identified and quantified by the ν(C≡N) infrared peaks of coordinated CD₃CN molecules, and a subset of these sites are correlated with first-order rate constants of aqueous-phase glucose-fructose isomerization (373 K). In contrast, <i>in situ</i> titration of active sites by pyridine during gas-phase ethanol dehydration catalysis (404 K) on a suite of Sn-zeolites of different topology (Beta, MFI, BEC) quantified the dominant active site to correspond to a different subset of Sn sites than those dominant in glucose-fructose isomerization. An extensive series of synthetic and post-synthetic routes to prepare Sn-zeolites containing Sn sites hosted within diverse local coordination environments identified a subset of Sn sites located in defective environments such as grain boundaries, which are more pronounced in Beta crystallites comprised of intergrowths of two polymorphs than in zeolite frameworks with un-faulted crystal structures. Sn sites in such environments adopt defect-open configurations ((HO)-Sn-(OSi≡)₃) with proximal Si-OH groups that do not permit condensation to closed configurations, which resolves debated spectroscopic assignments to hydrolyzed-open site configurations. Defect-open Sn sites are dominant in glucose-fructose isomerization because their proximal Si-OH groups stabilize kinetically relevant hydride shift transition states, while closed framework Sn sites are dominant in alcohol dehydration because they stabilize S_N2 transition states via Sn site opening in the kinetically relevant step and re-closing as part of the catalytic cycle. The structural diversity of real zeolite materials, whose defects distinguish them from idealized crystal structures and allows hosting Lewis acid sites with distinct local configurations, endows them with the ability to effectively catalyze a broad range of oxygenate reactions.</div><div><br></div><div>During aqueous-phase catalysis, high extra-crystalline water chemical potentials lead to intra-pore stabilization of H₂O molecules, clusters, and extended hydrogen-bonded networks that interact with adsorbed intermediates and transition states at Lewis acid sites. Glucose-fructose isomerization turnover rates (373 K, per defect-open Sn, quantified by CD₃CN IR) are higher when Sn sites are confined within low-defect, non-polar zeolite frameworks that effectively prevent extended water networks from forming; however, increasing exposure to hot (373 K) liquid water generates Si-OH groups via hydrolysis of siloxane bridges and leads to lower turnover rates commensurate with those of high-defect, polar frameworks. Detailed kinetic, spectroscopic, and theoretical studies of polar and non-polar titanosilicate zeolite analogs indicate that extended water networks entropically destabilize glucose-fructose isomerization transition states relative to their bound precursors, rather than influence the competitive adsorption of water and glucose at active sites. Infrared spectra support the stabilization of extended hydrogen-bonded water networks by Si-OH defects located within Si- and Ti-Beta zeolites, consistent with ab initio molecular dynamics simulations that predict formation of distinct thermodynamically stable clustered and extended water phases within Beta zeolites depending on the external water chemical potential and the nature of their chemical functionality (closed vs. hydrolyzed-open Lewis acid site, or silanol nest defect). The structure of water confined within microporous solids is determined by the type and density of intracrystalline polar binding sites, leading to higher reactivity in aqueous media when hydrogen-bonded networks are excluded from hydrophobic micropores.</div><div><br></div><div>Aluminosilicate zeolites adsorb water to form (H₃O⁺)(H₂O)_n clusters that mediate liquid-phase Brønsted acid catalysis, but their relative contributions to the solvation of reactive intermediates and transition states remain unclear. Bimolecular ethanol dehydration turnover rates (per H⁺, quantified by NH₃ temperature-programmed desorption and <i>in situ</i> titrations with 2,6-di-<i>tert</i>-butylpyridine) and transmission infrared spectra measured on Brønsted acid zeolites under conditions approaching intrapore H₂O condensation (373 K, 0.02–75 kPa H₂O) reveal the formation of clustered, solvated (C₂H₅OH)(H⁺)(H₂O)_n intermediates, which are stabilized to greater extents than bimolecular dehydration transition states by extended hydrogen-bonded water networks. Turnover rates deviate sharply below those predicted by kinetic regimes in the absence of extended condensed water networks because non-ideal thermodynamic formalisms are required to account for the different solvation of transition states and MARI. The condensation of liquid-like phases within micropores that stabilize reaction intermediates and transition states to different extents is a general phenomenon for Brønsted acid-catalyzed alcohol dehydration within zeolites of different topology (CHA, AEI, TON, FAU), which governs the initial formation and structure of clustered hydronium-reactant and water-protonated transition state complexes. Systematic control of liquid-phase structures within confined spaces by gas-phase measurements around the point of intrapore condensation enables more detailed mechanistic and structural insights than those afforded by either kinetic measurements in the liquid phase, or structural characterizations of aqueous systems in the absence of reactants.</div>