Multifunctional nanoreactors that combine reaction and separation can lead to more efficient reactions and reduce hazardous waste.  We use multifunctional polymer nanoreactors for liquid phase oxidation reactions and product isolation by spontaneous phase separation.  Nanoreactors were self-assembled using confined impinging jet mixers to achieve high energy mixing of a metal catalyst stabilized with an amphiphilic block copolymer, polystyrene-b-polyethylene glycol.  Adsorption of the hydrophobic block encapsulates the catalyst while the other block sterically stabilizes the nanoreactors.  Stable, monodisperse, nanoreactors were achieved using polystyrene as a co-precipitant with gold nanoparticles, in a 5 to 1 ratio, during nanoreactor assembly.  This specific ratio of catalyst to coprecipitant prevents the formation of micelles and un-encapsulated catalyst.  The catalyst loading was found to be around 10 gold nanoparticles per reactor by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), which is in accordance with theoretical calculations.  The ability to oxidize benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde was examined.  Nanoreactor structure was evaluated using TEM and dynamic light scattering (DLS).  TEM confirms that catalyst loaded nanoreactors, with a size range of 100 to 200 nm, are achieved via self-assembly.  Mass spectrometry and <sup>1</sup>H NMR confirmed the nanoreactors could catalyze the production of benzaldehyde from benzyl alcohol, with the spontaneous phase separation of benzaldehyde from the aqueous dispersion of nanoreactors.   The effect of reaction temperature, base hydrophobicity, and reaction mixture concentration on conversion is currently being investigated.  <br/> <br/>

Multifunctional nanoreactors for oxidative catalysis and product isolation by spontaneous phase separation

254th National Meeting (2017)

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