Abstract
Bridged silsesquioxanes with asymmetric catalytic properties are described. These new silica-based materials are obtained by the sol-gel hydrolysis of an organosilylated chiral compound bearing rhodium-complexed diphosphine ligands. The incorporation of the organometallic species in various hybrid networks was achieved upon co-hydrolysis of the latter silylated ligands with TEOS or with 1,4-bis(trimethoxysilyl)benzene. These amorphous hybrids have been tested as enantioselective catalysts for the hydrogenation of (Z)a-(acetamido)cinnamic acid to the corresponding aminoacid and the results were compared with that obtained from the complexed precursor in homogeneous medium and related grafted silica. Enantioselectivities slightly higher than for homogeneous reaction were obtained in the case of the heterogeneous catalysts prepared by the direct hydrolysis of the rhodium-complexed diphosphine compound or by its co-hydrolysis with 1,4-bis(trimethoxysilyl)benzene. Conversely, a significant decrease in selectivity was observed when the organometallic species was immobilised in silica or grafted at the surface of silica.