Rhodium-catalyzed aqueous biphasic hydrogenation of alkenes with amphiphilic phosphine-containing core-shell polymers

Acetate ion addition to and exchange in (1,5-cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) acetate: relevance for the coagulation of carboxylic acid-functionalized shells of core-crosslinked micelle latexes

The solution behavior of complex [Rh(COD)(μ-OAc)]2 in the absence and presence of PPN+OAc- in dichloromethane has been investigated in detail by multinuclear NMR spectroscopy. Without additional acetate ions, the compound shows dynamic behavior at room temperature, consistent with an inversion of its C2v structure. Addition of PPN+OAc- reveals an equilibrated generation of [Rh(COD)(OAc)2]-. Rapid exchange is observed at room temperature between the neutral dimer and the anionic mononuclear complex, as well as between the anionic complex and free acetate. Lowering the temperature to 213 K freezes the exchange between the two Rh complexes, but fast exchange between the anionic Rh complex and free acetate maintains coalesced Me (1H and 13C) and COO (13C) NMR resonances. DFT calculations support the experimental data and lean in favour of a dissociative mechanism for the acetate exchange in [Rh(COD)(OAc)2]-. The acetate ligands in complex [Rh(COD)(μ-OAc)]2 are also exchanged in a biphasic (water/organic) system with the methacrylic acid (MAA) functions of hydrosoluble [MMA0.5-co-PEOMA0.5]30 copolymer chains (PEOMA = poly(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate), resulting in transfer of the Rh complex to the aqueous phase. Exchange with the MAA functions in the same polymer equally takes place for the chloride ligands of [Rh(COD)(μ-Cl)]2. The latter phenomenon rationalizes the coagulation of a core-crosslinked micelle (CCM) latex, where MMA functions are present on the hydrophilic CCM shell, when a dichloromethane solution of [Rh(COD)(μ-Cl)]2 is added.

Rhodium nanoparticles inside well-defined unimolecular amphiphilic polymeric nanoreactors: synthesis and biphasic hydrogenation catalysis

Rhodium nanoparticles (Rh NPs) embedded in different amphiphilic core-crosslinked micelle (CCM) latexes (RhNP@CCM) have been synthesized by [RhCl(COD)(TPP@CCM)] reduction with H₂ (TPP@CCM = core-anchored triphenylphosphine). The reduction rate depends on temperature, on the presence of base (NEt₃) and on the P/Rh ratio. For CCMs with outer shells made of neutral P(MAA-co-PEOMA) copolymer chains (RhNP@CCM-N), the core-generated Rh NPs tend to migrate toward the hydrophilic shell and to agglomerate depending on the P/Rh ratio and core TPP density, whereas the MAA protonation state has a negligible effect. Conversely, CCMs with outer shells made of polycationic P(4VPMe⁺I^-) chains (RhNP@CCM-C) maintain core-confined and well dispersed Rh NPs. All RhNP@CCMs were used as catalytic nanoreactors under aqueous biphasic conditions for acetophenone, styrene and 1-octene hydrogenation. Styrene was efficiently hydrogenated by all systems with high selectivity for vinyl reduction. For acetophenone, competition between benzene ring and carbonyl reduction was observed as well as a limited access to the catalytic sites when using CCM-C. Neat 1-octene was also converted, but the activity increased when the substrate was diluted in 1-nonanol, which is a better core-swelling solvent. Whereas the molecular Rh^I center was more active than the Rh⁰ NPs in 1-octene hydrogenation, the opposite trend was observed for styrene hydrogenation. Although Rh NP migration and agglomeration occurred for RhNP@CCM-N, even at high P/Rh, the NPs remained core-confined for RhNP@CCM-C, but only when toluene rather than diethyl ether was used for product extraction before recycling.

Triphenylphosphine-Functionalized Core-Cross-Linked Micelles and Nanogels with a Polycationic Outer Shell: Synthesis and Application in Rhodium-Catalyzed Biphasic Hydrogenations

Unimolecular amphiphilic nanoreactors with a poly(4-vinyl-N-methylpyridinium iodide) (P4VPMe⁺ I^- ) polycationic outer shell and two different architectures (core-cross-linked micelles, CCM, and nanogels, NG), with narrow size distributions around 130-150 nm in diameter, were synthesized by RAFT polymerization from an R₀ -4VPMe⁺ I^- ₁₄₀ -b-S₅₀ -SC(S)SPr macroRAFT agent by either chain extension with a long (300 monomer units) hydrophobic polystyrene-based block followed by cross-linking with diethylene glycol dimethacrylate (DEGDMA) for the CCM particles, or by simultaneous chain extension and cross-linking for the NG particles. A core-anchored triphenylphosphine (TPP) ligand functionality was introduced by using 4-diphenylphosphinostyrene (DPPS) as a comonomer (5-20 % mol mol^-1 ) in the chain extension (for CCM) or chain extension/cross-linking (for NG) step. The products were directly obtained as stable colloidal dispersions in water (latexes). After loading with [RhCl(COD)]₂ to yield [RhCl(COD)(TPP@CCM)] or [RhCl(COD)(TPP@NG)], respectively, the polymers were used as polymeric nanoreactors in Rh-catalyzed aqueous biphasic hydrogenation of the model substrates styrene and 1-octene, either neat (for styrene) or in an organic solvent (toluene or 1-nonanol). All hydrogenations were rapid (TOF up to 300 h^-1 ) at 25 °C and 20 bar of H₂ pressure, the biphasic mixture rapidly decanted at the end of the reaction (<2 min), the Rh loss was negligible (<0.1 ppm in the recovered organic phase), and the catalyst phase could be recycled 10 times without significant loss of catalytic activity.

Amphiphilic polymeric nanoreactors containing Rh(i)–NHC complexes for the aqueous biphasic hydrogenation of alkenes

A rhodium(i) complex bearing a monodentate N-heterocyclic carbene ligand has been confined into the core of amphiphilic core-crosslinked micelles (CCMs).