Chiral catalyst support : synthesis, characterization and application in enantioselective hydrogenation.

Abstract

Chiral porous materials and surface chirality are an on-going quest in catalysis and chemistry studies due to the vast applications in many industries. Researches on this topic are mainly for its significant potential in achieving enantiopure products and drug delivery. In this study, the methodologies of manufacturing the chiral mesoporous silica (CMS) will be discussed as it was made based on the experimental results due to the influences of factors such as temperature, surfactant, chiral inducer etc. The examinations of CMS were carried out via XRD, SEM, TEM and VCD to determine the optimal CMS structure formed. In this study, the focus of investigation would be on CMCM-41 (Chiral Mobile Crystalline Material-41). The principal behind the formation of the CMS was that it were synthesized using achiral surfactant as template and a chiral inducer, Λ-[Co(+)(chxn)3]I3 to induce chirality in the silica source. After the formation of the chiral catalyst support, platinum were doped on the CMS and underwent reaction with itaconates to study the hydrogenation effects.

Concurrently, similar investigations were carried out on various carbon samples (Carbon Nanotubes, Graphite and Active Carbon). To incorporate chirality on these carbon structures, chiral modifier, Bi(2-naphtol), were loaded onto the carbon samples before doping on the platinum. The applications of these carbon supported catalysts were also investigated by the hydrogenation reaction of itaconates.