Recoverable rhodium nanoparticles: Synthesis, characterization and catalytic performance in hydrogenation reactions

We here report the first magnetically recoverable Rh(0) nanoparticle-supported catalyst with extraordinary recovery and recycling properties. Magnetic separation has been suggested as a very promising technique to improve recovery of metal-based catalysts in liquid-phase batch reactions. The separation method is significantly simple, as it does not require filtration, decantation, centrifugation, or any other separation technique thereby, overcoming traditional time- and solvent-consuming procedures. Our new magnetically separable catalytic system, comprised of Rh nanoparticles immobilized on silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles, is highly active and could be reused for up to 20 times for hydrogenation of cyclohexene (180,000 mol/molRh) and benzene (11,550 mol/molRh) under mild conditions.

We here report the first Rh(0) nanoparticle-based magnetically separable catalyst with extraordinary recovery and recycling properties. Rh(0) nanoparticles were immobilized in magnetic supports to be efficiently recovered from the reaction medium by applying an external magnetic field and reused in successive catalytic reactions. The separation method is significantly simple thereby, overcoming traditional time- and solvent-consuming purification procedures. Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide