Sulfonic acid functionalised ordered mesoporous materials as catalysts for fine chemical synthesis.

The synthesis of highly active acid catalysts supported on ordered mesoporous materials has eluded chemists until 1998, when Wim M. Van Rhijn et al. explored three different routes to tether sulfonic acid on mesoporous silica. This viewpoint sheds light on this landmark and explores its significant impact on material science and green catalysis.