Stabilization of Pd, Pt and Ru nanoparticles by optically active CO/styrene copolymers

Fully isotactic, chiral CO/styrene copolymers were used as stabilizers for palladium, platinum and ruthenium nanoparticles synthesis. The tuning of copolymer/metal ratio and metal concentration were found to be key parameters in order to adjust the size and the agglomeration tendency of the metallic nanoclusters. These new materials were fully characterized by elemental analysis, infrared, solid state 13C MAS NMR spectroscopies, and transmission electronic microscopy. Platinum and ruthenium nanoparticles were tested as catalysts in the ethyl pyruvate hydrogenation, giving high activities; in this preliminary work, no enantioselectivity induction was observed.