Ruthenium complex immobilized on supported ionic-liquid-phase (SILP) for alkoxycarbonylation of olefins with CO2

Abstract

In this study, the heterogeneously catalyzed alkoxycarbonylation of olefins with CO₂ based on a supported ionic-liquid-phase (SILP) strategy is reported for the first time. An [Ru]@SILP catalyst was accessed by immobilization of ruthenium complex on a SILP, wherein imidazolium chloride was chemically integrated at the surface or in the channels of the silica gel support. An active Ru site was generated through reacting Ru₃(CO)₁₂ with the decorated imidazolium chloride in a proper microenvironment. Different IL films, by varying the functionality of the side chain at the imidazolium cation, were found to strongly affect the porosity, active Ru sites, and CO₂ adsorption capacity of [Ru]@SILP, thereby considerably influencing its catalytic performance. The optimized [Ru]@SILP-A-2 displayed enhanced catalytic performance and prominent substrate selectivity compared to an independent homogeneous system under identical conditions. These findings provide the basis for a novel design concept for achieving both efficient and stable catalysts in the coupling of CO₂ with olefins.