Odyssey in Polyphasic Catalysis by Metal Nanoparticles

Abstract

Nanometer-sized metal particles constitute an unavoidable family of catalysts, combining the advantages of molecular complexes in regards to their catalytic performances and the ones of heterogeneous systems in terms of easy recycling. As part of this research, our group aims at designing well-defined metal nanoparticles based-catalysts, in non-conventional media (ionic liquids or water), for various catalytic applications (hydrogenation, dehalogenation, carbon-carbon coupling, asymmetric catalysis) in mild reaction conditions. In the drive towards a more eco-responsible chemistry, the main focuses rely on the search of highly active and selective nanocatalysts, in association with an efficient recycling mainly under pure biphasic liquid-liquid conditions. In this Personal Account, we proposed our almost fifteen-years odyssey in the world of metal nanoparticles for a sustainable catalysis.

Keywords: ionic liquids; nanoparticles; polyphasic catalysis; sustainable chemistry; water.