Mesoporous silica nanoparticles applied as a support for Pd and Au nanocatalysts in cycloisomerization reactions
Oscar Verho,
Feifei Gao,
Eric V. Johnston,
Wei Wan,
Anuja Nagendiran,
Haoquan Zheng,
Jan-Erling Bäckvall,
Xiaodong Zou
Affiliations
Oscar Verho
Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Feifei Gao
Berzelii Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials and Inorganic and Structural Chemistry, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Eric V. Johnston
Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Wei Wan
Berzelii Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials and Inorganic and Structural Chemistry, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Anuja Nagendiran
Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Haoquan Zheng
Berzelii Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials and Inorganic and Structural Chemistry, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Jan-Erling Bäckvall
Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Xiaodong Zou
Berzelii Center EXSELENT on Porous Materials and Inorganic and Structural Chemistry, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden
Ultra-small mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) have been synthesized at room temperature with particle sizes ranging from 28 to 45 nm. These MSNs have been employed as heterogeneous supports for palladium and gold nanocatalysts. The colloidal nature of the MSNs is highly useful for catalytic applications as it allows for better mass transfer properties and a more uniform distribution of the nanocatalysts in solution. The two nanocatalysts were evaluated in the cycloisomerization of alkynoic acids and demonstrated to produce the corresponding alkylidene lactones in good to excellent yields under mild conditions. In addition to their high activity, the catalysts exhibit low degree of metal leaching and straight-forward recycling, which highlight the practical utility of MSNs as supports for nanocatalysts.
