Porous catalyst for industrial synthesis

Abstract

Disclosed herein are tetrahedral cages for application in catalysis. The tetrahedral cages include porous cages, metal-binding cages, and metalated cages. The tetrahedral cages can be implemented as selective catalysts, where a tetrahedral cage is immobilized on the surface of a catalytically active material to control the microenvironment of the catalytic sites without blocking access. The tetrahedral cages can be implemented as supported catalysts, where a catalytic site is incorporated into a tetrahedral cage that is immobilized on the surface of a support. The selective catalysts and the supported catalysts as disclosed herein provide catalytic site density and permit rapid substrate diffusion. Further disclosed herein are methods of preparing the tetrahedral cages the selective catalysts and the supported catalysts. Catalytic applications of the tetrahedral cages include hydrogenation such as hydrogenation of terminal alkynes, regioselective hydrogenation of arenes, enantioselective hydrogenation of arenes, and ethylene oligomerization.

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