Non-covalent immobilization of RhDuphos on carbon nanotubes and carbon xerogels

• The chiral catalyst RhDuphos has been anchored on carbon nanotubes and xerogels.
• Non covalent anchoring strategies were used: electrostatic and π–π interactions.
• Supports have been chemically modified to promote desired interactions.
• RhDuphos on an oxidized carbon xerogel is active, enantioselective and reusable.

The immobilization of the chiral complex RhDuphos, by electrostatic or π–π (adsorption) interactions, on carbon nanotubes and carbon xerogels is investigated. To promote such interactions, the supports were either oxidized or heat treated to create carboxylic type surface groups or an apolar surface, respectively. The catalysts were tested in the hydrogenation of methyl 2-acetamidoacrylate.The prepared hybrid catalysts are less active than the homogeneous RhDuphos, but most of them show a high enantioselectivity and the one prepared with the oxidized carbon xerogel is also reusable, being able to give a high substrate conversion, keeping as well a high enantioselectivity. The anchorage by electrostatic interactions is more interesting than the anchorage by π–π interactions, as the π–π adsorption method produces a modification of the metal complex structure leading to an active hybrid catalyst but without enantioselectivity.The creation of carboxylic groups on the support surface has led to some hindering of the complex leaching.

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