Polymer bound catalysts

A polymer supported Nickel (II) catalyst: Homogeneous catalysts are comparatively small molecules, which can be prepared and purified just like any other fine chemical. The control over design and purity offer a number of advantages over traditional catalysts. A disadvantage, however, is that the catalyst must be separated from the reaction mixture after performing it's task. As many useful homogeneous catalysts are based on precious metals, failure to recover the catalyst is expensive, and leads to heavy metal pollution.

To overcome this problem, engineers at the Universities of Sheffield and Hull have synthesised a 'homogeneous' catalyst which, after preparation, can be tethered to a polymer support. This makes the catalyst insoluble, but it is still found to be an efficient catalyst for the Tamao-Kumada-Corriu coupling reaction. The new bound catalyst has been shown to retain its activity over several months, and does not leach metal into solution, avoiding environmental problems.

References

Peter Styring, Christina Grindon and Christopher M. Fisher. A polymer-supported nickel(II) catalyst for room temperature Tamao-Kumada-Corriu coupling reactions. Catalysis Letters 77 (2001), 219-225.

This feature is based on work carried out by Prof Peter Styring:

Peter Styring

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