Inspired by recent work on two-dimensional materials, supported ionic liquids, and the Bara group work on expanding the chemistry of ionenes, we report on synthetic nanoclays comprising ultrathin magnesium phyllosilicate sheets densely functionalized with covalently-bound cationic imidazolium moieties. These polyionic nanoclays (PINCs) represent an emergent class of supported ionic liquid phase and hold a number of attractive features, including: (i) an extremely high appended cation density (as high as ~4 mmol g<sup>–1</sup>); (ii) the exchangeability of the associated counter anions; and (iii) the facility for incorporating other onium ion chemistries. We illustrate the potential of PINCs as catalytic supports by in-situ generation of gold nanoparticles at their surfaces followed by deployment as catalysts in model nitroarene reduction reactions where they display record turnover frequencies. Finally, we point to a few additional areas of application for these hybrid materials beyond catalysis.

Polyionic nanoclays as tailorable hybrid organic-inorganic platforms

ACS Spring Meeting 2021

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