Tuning the chemoselective hydrogenation of aromatic ketones, aromatic aldehydes and quinolines catalyzed by phosphine functionalized ionic liquid stabilized ruthenium nanoparticles†
Abstract
Ruthenium nanoparticles (Ru NPs) stabilized by phosphine-functionalized ionic liquids (PFILs) were synthesized in an imidazolium-based ionic liquid using H2 as a reductant. Characterization showed well-dispersed particles of about 2.2 nm (TEM) and confirmed the PFIL stabilization of the Ru NPs (NMR). The Ru NPs stabilized by PFILs exhibited excellent activity and switchable chemoselectivity in the heterogeneous selective hydrogenation of aromatic ketones, aromatic aldehydes and quinolines under mild conditions.