Multicompartment Polymeric Nanoreactors for Non-Orthogonal Cascade Catalysis

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. Vol. 40; no. 1
• Main Authors: Womble, C. Tyler, Kuepfert, Michael, Weck, Marcus
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Wiley 15.10.2018
• Subjects: INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927

Spatial confinement of multiple catalysts presents an effective strategy for performing sequential or tandem chemical transformations in a one-pot reaction. These methods may be used to catalyze numerous reactions in conditions that are otherwise incompatible between catalyst and solvent, different catalysts, or reagents. Appropriate site isolation or support structure design would lead to significant advantages in atom economy, purification, and costs and the development of the interface between a catalyst and its confined microenvironment is paramount for realizing the next-generation of nanoreactors. Polymer scaffolds can create tailor-made microenvironments resulting in catalyst compartmentalization. Through the optimization of a number of variables such as size, solubility, functionality, and morphology of the nanoreactor, catalyst activity and selectivity can be tuned. In this Feature Article, we introduce design principles and early strategies for polymer supports for catalyst site-isolation and discuss current strategies towards multi-compartment polymer nanoreactors for non-orthogonal cascade catalysis. We conclude by outlining future design trends in this burgeoning field.