A direct novel synthesis of highly uniform dispersed ruthenium nanoparticles over P6mm ordered mesoporous carbon by host–guest complexes

Abstract

We report a novel concept to prepare a highly ordered mesoporous carbon with a uniform dispersion of ruthenium nanoparticles of 1–2 nm size range using a nano-templating method, based on the combined utilization of a β-cyclodextrin host–guest complex and ruthenium trichloride as respective sources of carbon and metal. The composite material synthesized (Ru@MCA-2) through the polymerization and carbonization of these metallo-supramolecular assemblies possesses high surface area and high pore volume after the removal of the silica template and exhibits high catalytic activity in the hydrogenation of unsaturated fatty acid methyl esters. The reusability of this nanoreplicated catalyst is also demonstrated.