Using templated method, sulfonic functionalized three dimensional ordered macroporous (3DOM) SiO₂-SO₃H hybrid materials have been first prepared via in situ transformation of mixed sol composed of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and (3-mercaptopropyl)trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) infiltrated in the interstitial voids of polystyrene colloidal crystal, and followed extraction of template and oxidation of thiol groups to sulfonic groups with H₂O₂. Samples were characterized by SEM, EDS, FT-IR methods. The results showed that synthesized materials possessed well 3DOM structure. The pores were about 250 nm and interconnected by small channels of 80 nm. Sulfonic acid groups had been well anchored into structure-wall. The determination of pyridine adsorption of samples revealed that materials have a typic characterization of proton acid, and the proton acid centers increased with the increase of S content. Catalysts showed good performance in esterification of acetic acid with n-butanol, moreover, the higher content of sulfonic acid is, the more active catalysts are. This study provided significant results for development of new high performance solid acid catalysts.

Key words: three dimensional ordered macroporous, sulfonic acid funtionalized, acid catalysis, esterification