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

•Use of amphiphilic phosphine-containing core-shell polymers as nanoreactors.•Rhodium-catalyzed aqueous biphasic hydrogenation of styrene and 1-octene.•Low rhodium leaching in the organic phase (down to 0.5 ppm).•Up to 6 efficient recycles of the catalytic aqueous phase.•Latex macrogelation avoided by solvent and P/Rh ratio optimization.

The biphasic aqueous hydrogenation reaction of styrene and 1-octene could be efficiently carried out using phosphine-containing core-shell water-soluble polymers used as nanoreactors in presence of [Rh(COD)Cl]2. The catalytic aqueous phase could be successfully recycled up to six times.

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