Ni-NHC Nanoparticles in Micelles as an Effective and Reusable Catalyst for Hydrogenations and Reductive-Aminations in Water

Nickel metallomicelles were formed through the self-assembly of NHC-olefin-coordinated nickel nanoparticles and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as a surfactant in water. The reduction of various organic compounds was catalyzed using hydrogen gas within water and without any organic cosolvent. The resulting nickel nanoparticles coordinated to NHC-olefin ligands and coated by a bilayer SDS surfactant structure proved to be effective, selective, and reusable catalysts for the hydrogenations of alkenes, alkynes, and nitroarenes, as well as for the reductive-aminations of aldehydes with primary amines. The hydrogenations were scaled up to 6 mmol, and the catalyst was recycled over 10 runs without any significant loss of activity.