Synthesis of PVP-Ru amphiphilic microreactors with Ru nanocatalysts and their application in the fast hydrogenation of unsaturated compounds in aqueous media

PVP-Ru amphiphilic microreactors with Ru nanocatalysts have been synthesized by reducing the complex of Ru ions with poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) in aqueous media. Microscope and TEM images verified the formation of PVP (K90)-Ru-10 microreactor with 100 μm in length, and Ru nanocatalysts, which were entrapped inside the microreactors, with 1–3 nm in diameter, 20–80 nm in length. The Ru nanoparticles could be protected from aggregation by adjusting the average molecular weight of PVP. The obtained PVP-Ru amphiphilic microreactor system showed high activity in the hydrogenation of unsaturated organic compounds in aqueous media. High turnover frequency (TOF) value of 45,000 h−1 was achieved in hydrogenation of benzene in aqueous media, at 353 K, under 4 MPa hydrogen pressure. All the hydrogenation TOF values of investigated arenes, olefins and carbonyl compounds exceeded 1000 h−1. The recovered aqueous phase containing PVP-Ru microreactor could be reused for at least three times without any significant loss in their catalytic activity.

Graphical abstractFast hydrogenation of arenes, olefins and carbonyl compounds were successfully realized in the PVP-Ru microreactor system in aqueous media. The very high TOF values were contributed to the enrichment of poorly water-soluble organic substrates and hydrogen by hydrophobic microenvironment in microreactor in aqueous phase, and high active Ru nanoparticle catalysts.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide