The hydroformylation reaction is extensively used, on a commercial basis, to obtain linear and branched aldehydes from the reaction of alkenes with hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the presence of a catalyst (i.e., Rh, Co, etc).1 Although homogeneous catalysis has been widely practiced in the past, in most cases, the separation of the products from the reaction mixtures is a nontrivial undertaki...

Hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) methods were employed to study electronic effects of 5,5'-substituents on the enantioselectivity of (salen)Mn catalysts. Correlations obtained from the QM/MM calculations elucidated electronic framework effects on enantioselectivity for (salen)Mn heterogenized in a metal-organic framework (MOF). The correlations also enabled fast ligand scree...

180 © 2011 Johnson Matthey doi:10.1595/147106711X581350 http://www.platinummetalsreview.com/ Edited by Pierluigi Barbaro and Francesca Liguori (Istituto di Chimica dei Composti Organo Metallici, Firenze, Italy), Springer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 2010, 459 pages, ISBN: 978-90-481-3695-7, £126.00, €139.95, US$189.00 (Print version); e-ISBN: 978-90-481-3694-4, doi:10.1007/978-90-481-3696-4 (On...

BACKGROUND Why are metal nanoparticles sol-gel entrapped in ORMOSIL so active and stable? In other words, why ORMOSIL-entrapped metal nanoparticles are more active and selective than many heterogenized counterparts, including silica-entrapped noble metals? RESULTS Unveiling specific interactions between MNPs and the molecular structure of ORMOSIL, this work investigates subtle structural aspe...

Homogeneous and heterogenized basic ionic liquids as reaction catalysts have been highlighted, particularly where they are used to promote reactions that could form the basis of more sustainable energy chemical production.

b-Lactones are important intermediates for ring-opening polymerization to form poly(b-hydroxyalkanoates), a naturally occurring biodegradable and thermoplastic polyester. Many synthetic methods are available for preparing b-lactones, among which catalytic ring-opening carbonylation of epoxides has received considerable attention because of its ability to produce enantiopure b-lactones. Over the...