Mesoporous materials with an acidic framework and basic pores. A successful cohabitation.

Bifunctional mesoporous material with an acidic framework and basic pores was synthesized via the co-condensation of TEOS, bistrimethoxysilylated precursors with a disulfide core, and 3-tert-butyloxycarbonyl (aminopropyl)triethoxysilane using P123 as surfactant; the reduction of disulfide units to SH groups followed by their oxidation into SO3H and deprotection of amino groups gave rise to a material containing two antagonist functionalities located at the nanometric scale in a successful cohabitation, avoiding their mutual destruction in the presence of aprotic solvent. This kind of material illustrates the large possibilities offered by mesoporous materials and opens new and unsuspected applications.