Enhanced Alkene Selectivity for Transfer Semihydrogenation of Alkynes over Electron-Deficient Pt Nanoparticles Encapsulated in Hollow Silica Nanospheres

In this work, we report that Pt nanoparticles confined in hollow porous silica nanospheres (Pt@HPSNs) function as highly selective catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to styrene with ammonia borane. Relative to the deep hydrogenation of phenylacetylene to ethylbenzene over the supported Pt/SiO 2, Pt@HPSNs exhibit above 88% of styrene selectivity at nearly 100% of phenylacetylene conversions, and the high selectivity of Pt@HPSNs can be maintained even at high ammonia borane/phenylacetylene ratios and longer reaction time. The Pt 4f X-ray photoelectron spectrum of Pt@HPSNs shows a remarkable ∼1.5 eV shift to high binding energy, proving the nature of electron deficiency of such encapsulated Pt nanoparticles. Combined with extremely minor transfer hydrogenation of styrene to ethylbenzene when styrene as substrates, the enhanced styrene selectivity of Pt@HPSNs is ascribed to the electron deficiency of encapsulated Pt nanoparticles, which leads to the fast desorption of styrene and thus avoids deep hydrogenation.