NanoSelect™ technology enabled the development of Pd catalysts which are lead-free Lindlar catalyst replacements in alkyne-to-cis-alkene hydrogenations. NanoSelect™ Pt catalysts showed excellent chemo-selectivity in substituted nitro-arene hydrogenation reactions without build-up of hydroxylamine intermediates. All NanoSelect™ produced catalysts show markedly higher activity per gram of metal leading to ten-fold less use of precious metal using less of the earth’s resources, making a for a greener type of chemistry
NanoSelect LF 100 and LF 200 are selective hydrogenation catalysts that are environmentally friendly, lead-free alternatives to Lindlar catalysts which require the use of lead or sulphur in the hydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes. Although they contain just 0.5-0.6 wt% palladium on a support of either carbon or titanium silicate powder, in various hydrogenation reactions, these NanoSelect catalysts exhibit similar activity and selectivity to Lindlar catalysts that contain 5 wt% palladium. As a result, it is possible to achieve the same results using a 10-fold reduction of precious metal. Unlike typical reduction-deposition methods, NanoSelect catalysts are produced in water rather than organic solvents. The commercially available ammonium surfactant hexadecyl(2-hydroxyethyl) dimethylammonium dihydrogenphosphate (HHDMA) is used as the stabiliser and reductant in a process that is readily scalable. The colloidal nanoparticles are thought to be stabilised by a double layer of HHDMA.
Pd and Pt NanoSelect catalysts available from Strem Chemicals, are unique nanoparticle catalysts for the selective hydrogenation of acetylenes to cis-olefins and substituted nitroarenes to anilines, respectively, with low catalyst loadings.
These unimodal metal particles have crystallite sizes of approximately 7 nm when deposited onto various supports. Prepared via reduction-deposition in water, these catalysts exhibit very high activities and selectivity’s for hydrogenation reactions.
The reduction-deposition method in the reduction-deposition method, unlike in conventional reductive precipitation, nanoparticles of a metal are formed via reduction in solution in the presence of a stabiliser, and then the particles are deposited onto a heterogeneous support. The reduction of the metal prior to deposition on the support is the key feature of this method. Notably, this approach enables the formation of nanocatalysts with a narrow metal crystallise size distribution.
For further information on these exciting advances contact us on 01223 873 028 or enquiries@strem.co.uk