Ni-NHC Nanoparticles in Micelles as an Effective and Reusable Catalyst for Hydrogenations and Reductive-Aminations in Water

Abstract

Nickel metallomicelles were formed through the self-assembly of NHColefin-coordinated nickel nanoparticles and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a surfactant in water. The reduction of various organic compounds was catalyzed using hydrogen gas within water and without any organic cosolvent. The resulting nickel nanoparticles coordinated to NHC-olefin ligands and coated by a bilayer SDS surfactant structure proved to be effective, selective, and reusable catalysts for the hydrogenations of alkenes, alkynes, and nitroarenes, as well as for the reductiveaminations of aldehydes with primary amines. The hydrogenations were scaled up to 6 mmol, and the catalyst was recycled over 10 runs without any significant loss of activity.