Core–shell structured MgAl-LDO@Al-MS hexagonal nanocomposite: an all inorganic acid–base bifunctional nanoreactor for one-pot cascade reactions

Abstract

A core–shell structured nanocomposite, with hexagonal Mg–Al mixed oxide nanoplates derived from LDHs as the inner core and Al-containing mesoporous silica as the outer shell, was prepared using an inorganic, low cost and simple route. The mesoporous silica shell was not only capable of protecting the MgAl-LDO core, but also offered a high surface area for the derivation of functional acid catalytic sites. The MgAl-LDO@Al-MS nanocomposite served as an efficient acid–base bifunctional nanoreactor for one-pot multistep cascade reaction sequences, due to the good spatial separation of antagonistic sites via the core–shell structure design, confinement and enrichment effect of the reaction species endowed by the nanoreactor features.