School of Engineering and Science - Jacobs University

Table of Contents
Acknowledgment
Abstract
IV
V
Chapter 1
Introduction to the enantioselective catalysis 1
1.1 General aspects: optical activity and chirality 2
1.2 Chirality in our life 4
1.3 Obtaining pure enantiomers 4
1.3.1 Separation of enantiomers 4
1.3.2 Asymmetric synthesis 7
1.3.3 Asymmetric catalysis 7
Chapter 2
Introduction to nanoscale materials 18
2.1 General information and definitions 18
2.2 Methods of colloid and supported nanoparticles preparation 21
2.3 Preparation of nanoclusters on a heterogeneous support 24
Chapter 3
Current thesis in the EU-COST project: aims of the work 25
3.1 Introduction and goals setting 25
Chapter 4
Cinchonidine modified Pt colloidal nanoparticles: characterization and
catalytic properties 28
4.1 Introduction 28
4.2 Experimental 29
4.3 Results and discussion 31
4.3.1 General characterization 31
4.3.2 FTIR investigation of cinchonidine adsorbed on Pt 35
4.3.3 Investigation of catalytic behavior of cinchonidine
modified Pt nanoclusters 43
4.4 Summary 53
Chapter 5
Cinchonidine modified Pt colloidal nanoparticles immobilized on a
heterogeneous support 55
5.1 Introduction 55
5.2 Experimental 56
5.3 Results and discussion 57
5.3.1 Role of catalyst activation in obtaining enantiomeric
excess 57
5.3.2 Comparison of catalysts and proposed model of
catalyst activation 58
5.3.3 Catalyst stability and reuse tests 61
5.3.4 IR investigation and proposed model of activation 63
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