Preparation of ultradispersed transition metals (20 !100 nm) by reduction of metal complexes in molecular microreactors (cavities of immobilized calixarenes, polyelectrolytes) was studied.Preparation and study of untradispersed metals and preparation of functional materials on their base are urgent problems of modern science [1]. It is known [2] that cross-linked polymers (polyelectrolytes) can be used as matrices for preparing ultradispersed metals. Cavities, complexes, and intercalated compounds contained in cross-linked polymers are immobilized microreactors providing certain spatial organization of molecules [3]. A study of processes occurring in immobilized microrecators gives insight into highly organized chemical transformations in supramolecular systems.Previously [4] we prepared new cross-linked polymers with grafted cis-calix[4]resorcinolarene derivatives capable of forming intercalation compounds [5], i.e., having properties of a microreactor.The aim of this work was to prepare ultradispersed transition metals in cross-linked polymers (polyelectrolytes), to study their catalytic activity in hydrogenation of organic nitro compounds, and to use cis-calix-[4]resorcinolarenes immobilized in the polymeric matrix as microreactors for reduction and hydrogenation.
EXPERIMENTALUltradispersed metals (Pd, Cu, and Ni) were prepared in pores of KU-2-12P and KU-23 sulfonic cation exchangers, AV-17 anion exchanger, and cross-linked polymer with immobilized cis-tetraphenylcalix [4]resorcinolarene groups. The Cu 2+ , Ni 2+ , and [Pd(NH 3 ) 4 ] 2+ cations were introduced in the sulfonic cation exchanger by the ion-exchange procedure. Reduction of palladium(II) tetraammine complex in the matrix yields 20 3100-nm palladium particles. The X-ray pattern of KU-23 macroporous sulfonic cation exchanger containing palladium crystals is shown in Fig. 1.The X-ray patterns were recorded on a DRON-2 diffractometer (copper radiation, voltage on the X-ray tube 30 kV, current 20 mA, scan rate 2 deg min 31 ).The X-ray pattern contain reflections of crystalline palladium and a broad reflection of the amorphous polymer at 20o. The palladium content in the samples determined from the reflection intensity varies by an order of magnitude. The palladium dispersity calculated from the width of the reflection at 36o is 30 3 50 nm.Pomogailo [2] showed that transition metal nanoparticles are formed by reduction of their cations in an ion-exchange matrix. When the dynamic ion-exchange capacity is completely saturated with transition metal amine complexes, the reduced metal particles form the metallic phase owing to short effective distance between the particles [2]. The catalytic activity of these materials is low. For the ultradisperse phase to be formed, palladium cations should occupy less than 0.23 0.3 of the total exchange capacity of KU-23 sulfonic resin. The catalytic activity at the palladium 2G, deg Fig. 1 .X-ray pattern of KU-23 30/100 macroporous sulfonic cation exchanger containing (1) 5.1 and (2) 34 g md !3 palladium(II). (2q) Bragg ...