Development of Interfacial Catalytic Systems for Organic Reactions Based on Aggregates of Complex Salts Decorated with Metal Nanoparticles

Abstract

Considering the need for the achievement of value-added compounds through optimized and environmentally correct processes, this project aims the development of interfacial catalytic systems for application in a variety of organic reactions. It will be obtained core-shell particles in aqueous medium from complex salts of dodecyltrimethylammonium and the block copolymer poly(acrylamide)-b-poly(acrylic acid), PAAm-b-PAA, which present a central region occupied by the ionized block of the copolymer and micelles of the surfactant, surrounded by a disperse region containing the neutral and hydrophilic block of the copolymer. Such particles will be decorated with gold, silver and palladium nanoparticles, which will be employed simultaneously as stabilizers of oil-in-water emulsions and interfacial catalysts, due to the presence of the metal nanoparticles. The systems will be employed in the aerobic oxidation of alcohols, reductive amination of carbonyl compounds, and carbon-carbon cross-coupling Heck-Mizoroki reactions. Depending on the choice of the reactants, the use of the interfacial catalytic systems is highly advantageous because it allows the easy separation of the reagents and products at the end of the reaction. Furthermore, the proposed systems are mostly aqueous and should be employed in mild experimental conditions, so that they are in agreement with the scientific interest in the development of highly efficient and selective catalytic processes through simple, safe, cheap and environmentally correct systems.