Ship-in-a-bottle synthesis of a large guest occupying two Y zeolite neighbour supercages: Characterisation and photocatalytic activity of the encapsulated bipyrylium ion

Catalyst catching: The ship-in-a-bottle synthesis of bipyrylium dication (BTP) occupying two zeolite Y supercages (BTP@Y) was achieved by reaction of dichalcone and acetophenone in the presence of an acid Y zeolite (Si/Al 13). The photocatalytic activity of BTP@Y for the degradation of phenol in water (see graphic) has a lower initial reaction rate, but the same final degradation percentage as the parent 2,4,6-triphenylpyrylium ion.