Thermoregulated phase-transfer rhodium nanoparticle catalyst for hydrogenation in an aqueous/organic biphasic system

A simple, effective and reversible aqueous/organic phase-transfer method for rhodium nanoparticles was developed on the basis of the cloud point (Cp) of thermoregulated ligand. The rhodium nanoparticles stabilized by thermoregulated ligand Ph2P(CH2CH2O)nCH3 (n = 16) could transfer from aqueous phase to 1-butanol phase and vice versa by means of changing temperature. This thermoregulated phase-transfer rhodium nanoparticle catalyst evaluated in the hydrogenation of olefins in an aqueous/1-butanol biphasic system exhibited high activity and stability.