Core–Shell Nanostructured Catalysts for Chemoselective Hydrogenations

Abstract

Selective hydrogenation of targeted functional groups in the presence of other reducible groups is very important. However, it is significantly challenging in fine chemical synthesis. In particular, chemoselective hydrogenation of functional groups with retaining alkene groups is extremely difficult because alkene groups are easily reducible. To date, various approaches using metal nanoparticle catalysts to achieve high chemoselectivity have been proposed. However, there are only a few studies on chemoselective hydrogenations using core–shell metal nanoparticle catalysts. This section highlights the rational design of a catalyst strategy for chemoselective hydrogenation using core–shell metal nanoparticles, and the high catalytic performance of core–shell nanoparticles based on their unique structure. The developed core–shell metal nanoparticle catalysts such as Ag@CeO2 and Au@CeO2 for the chemoselective hydrogenation of nitro, carbonyl, epoxide, and alkyne moieties in the presence of alkene groups are discussed. These precisely designed core–shell nanoparticle catalysts showed high activity and chemoselectivity, which cannot be achieved by conventional metal nanoparticle catalysts. Moreover, these catalysts are easily recoverable and reusable without significant loss of activity and selectivity. In the rest of this section, a promising strategy for the green one-step synthesis of core–shell nanoparticle catalysts is described.