Modified H‐BEA Zeolites from Fluorinated Silica Slag Waste by Dry Gel Conversion Method for Shape‐Selective Acylation of 2‐Methoxynaphthalene

Abstract The high value‐added utilization of the fluorinated silica slag (FSS) waste, an associated by‐product of the anhydrous HF production from the accompanying fluorine resources in phosphate ore, is of great importance, but it remains a challenge. In this work, the Mg modified and unmodified Hβ zeolites from FSS waste were successfully prepared by a green dry gel conversion crystallization method with tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) as a structure‐directing agent (SDA). The in situ Mg modified Hβ zeolite (Mg−Hβ) shows much superior catalytic performance to unmodified (Hβ) and post Mg‐modified Hβ (Mg/Hβ) zeolites for acetylation of 2‐methoxynaphthalene (2‐MN) to 6‐acetyl‐2‐methoxynaphthalene (2,6‐AcMN), and the 40.2 % of conversion for 2‐MN with 66.3 % of selectivity for 2,6‐AcMN were achieved, ascribed to the high amount of B acidic sites and the promoted shape‐selective catalysis effect by higher surface area and volume of micropores. This work not only opens a new avenue for the high value‐added utilization of fluorinated silica slag waste, but also generates an efficient solid acid catalyst for the clean production of 2,6‐AcMN through the acetylation of 2‐MN with acetic anhydride.