New catalysts for clean technology

The preparation, characterisation and catalytic performance of both bimetallic nanoparticles and chiral homogeneous catalysts anchored along the interior walls of mesoporous silica (MCM-41) are described. The bimetallic nanoparticles are prepared from Ru(6)Pd(6) and Ru(6)CSn carbonyl clusters and the resulting MCM derivatives are characterised by a number of methods, including EXAFS, FTIR and STEM. The solvent-free hydrogenation of naphthalene and cyclic polyenes using these catalysts are described, with the Ru(6)CSn based catalyst giving a 90% selectivity for the corresponding monoenes while the Ru(6)Pd(6) produces the fully hydrogenated product in high yield. The homogeneous catalysts 1-[-(R)-1'-2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocenyl](ethylN-N'-dimethylethylenediamine palladium dichloride was heterogenised by anchoring along the inside walls of MCM-41. The catalysed reaction between cinnamylacetate and benzylamine was studied and the catalyst produced 51% of the branched chain product possibly with 100%ee. (C) 2002 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.