title: Encapsulation of Homogeneous Catalysts in Porous Polymer Nanocapsules Produces Fast-Acting Selective Nanoreactors.
abstract: Nanoreactors were created by entrapping homogeneous catalysts in hollow nanocapsules with 200 nm diameter and semipermeable nanometer-thin shells. The capsules were produced by the polymerization of hydrophobic monomers in the hydrophobic interior of the bilayers of self-assembled surfactant vesicles. Controlled nanopores in the shells of nanocapsules ensured long-term retention of the catalysts coupled with the rapid flow of substrates and products in and out of nanocapsules. The study evaluated the effect of encapsulation on the catalytic activity and stability of five different catalysts. Comparison of kinetics of five diverse reactions performed in five different solvents revealed the same reaction rates for free and encapsulated catalysts. Identical reaction kinetics confirmed that placement of catalysts in the homogeneous interior of polymer nanocapsules did not compromise catalytic efficiency. Encapsulated organometallic catalysts showed no loss of metal ions from nanocapsules suggesting stabilization of the complexes was provided by nanocapsules. Controlled permeability of the shells of nanocapsules enabled size-selective catalytic reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut , 55 North Eagleville Rd, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3060, United States.
authors.forename: Sergey A
authors.identifier: 0000-0001-6668-6445
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Dergunov
authors.affiliation: Kazakh National Research Technical University , 22 Satpayev St., Almaty 050013, Kazakhstan.
authors.forename: Alibek T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Khabiyev
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut , 55 North Eagleville Rd, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3060, United States.
authors.forename: Sergey N
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-8713-4516
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Shmakov
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut , 55 North Eagleville Rd, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3060, United States.
authors.forename: Mariya D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University , 3501 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, United States.
authors.forename: Nasim
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ehterami
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Saint Louis University , 3501 Laclede Avenue, St. Louis, Missouri 63103, United States.
authors.forename: Mary Clare
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis , One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, Missouri 63130, United States.
authors.forename: Vladimir B
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Birman
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Connecticut , 55 North Eagleville Rd, Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3060, United States.
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.identifier: 0000-0003-1429-0435
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pinkhassik
keywords: homogenous catalysis; immobilization; nanopores; nanoreactors; polymer nanocapsules; vesicles