MOFs-derived carbon covered alumina (CCA) supported Pt nanoparticles as catalyst for enantioselective hydrogenation

A one-step approach was developed to prepare carbon covered alumina (CCA) material by using Al-based MOFs (Al-PCP) as sacrificial template. Pt/CCA nanoparticle catalysts were characterized by using XRD, TGA, XPS, N2 sorption, SEM, TEM and elemental analysis and revealed that they retained the mesostructure with high Pt dispersion and had a CCA structure. Moreover, after reduced at 800 °C, Pt/CCA-800 afforded the highest enantiomeric excess (84.8%) after chirally modified with cinchonidine at the second time reaction and can be recycled for more than 8 times without distinct loss of activity or enantioselectivity in the asymmetric hydrogenation of ethyl 2-oxo-4-phenylbutyrate. [Display omitted] •A one-step approach was developed to prepare Pt nanoparticles with CCA structure.•Al-based MOFs (Al-PCP) was used as sacrificial template to calcinate for CCA.•Pt/CCA catalysts retained the original morphology of Al-PCP.•Pt/CCA were effective and recyclable catalysts for the asymmetric hydrogenation.•Pt/CCA-800 catalyst performed better than commercial Pt/C and Pt/Al2O3 catalysts.