title: Selective hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone using in situ generated ruthenium nanoparticles derived from Ru-NHC complexes.
abstract: Hydrogenation of levulinic acid (LA) to γ-valerolactone (GVL) was studied by using mono- and bidentate p-cymene ruthenium(ii) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes as catalyst precursors. In water, all complexes were found to be reduced in situ to form ruthenium nanoparticles (RuNPs) with a high hydrogenation activity. In organic solvents, complexes with monodentate NHC ligands also formed nanoparticles, while complexes with bidentate ligands gave rise to stable homogeneous catalysts with moderate hydrogenation activities.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)., 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, 627833 Singapore, Singapore. lpstubbs@ices.a-star.edu.sg and Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 Singapore, Singapore. chmhhv@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Boon Ying
authors.initials: BY
authors.lastname: Tay
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)., 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, 627833 Singapore, Singapore. lpstubbs@ices.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Cun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)., 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, 627833 Singapore, Singapore. lpstubbs@ices.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Pim Huat
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Phua
authors.affiliation: Institute of Chemical and Engineering Sciences, A*STAR (Agency for Science, Technology and Research)., 1 Pesek Road, Jurong Island, 627833 Singapore, Singapore. lpstubbs@ices.a-star.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Ludger Paul
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 3, 117543 Singapore, Singapore. chmhhv@nus.edu.sg.
authors.forename: Han Vinh
authors.initials: HV
authors.lastname: Huynh