Crystalline/amorphous Al/Al2O3 core/shell nanospheres as efficient catalysts for the selective transfer hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes

Crystalline/amorphous Al/Al2O3 core/shell nanospheres have been achieved through an electrical explosion of an aluminum wire in N2 to produce aluminum nanospheres, and a subsequent automatic oxidation in air. The as-obtained sample is found highly active in selective transfer hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes77