Micelle-based nanoreactors containing Ru-porphyrin for the epoxidation of terminal olefins in water

• Supported Ru(II)-porphyrin complex as catalyst for the epoxidation of alkenes.
• Support structure is based on shell-crosslinked micelle nanoreactors with hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic shells.
• The micelle-supported catalyst strategy combines easy recycling, high efficiency and product selectivity in water.

This contribution introduces a strategy to use Ru(II)-porphyrin complexes as catalysts for the epoxidation of alkenes in water. The design is based on shell cross-linked micelle-based nanoreactors with hydrophobic cores and hydrophilic shells as supports for the Ru(II) porphyrin complexes. The supported complexes are efficient catalysts for oxidation reactions, specifically the selectively oxidation of alkenes to epoxides. The presented strategy is the first system that allows for running Ru-catalyzed epoxidation reactions in water.

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