GoKawiilZeolite-confined Rh catalyst achieves record selectivity in hydroformylation reaction
Researchers confined subnanometre Rh2O3 clusters inside MFI zeolite channels, where they break apart into isolated Rh3+ and Rh+ species under reaction conditions. By adding nitrogen-containing molecules like N-methylpyrrolidine or 1-methyl-2-pyrrolidone, the team selectively blocked the Rh+ sites responsible for unwanted double-bond isomerization while keeping Rh3+ sites active for hydroformylation. The result was a linear-to-branched aldehyde ratio of 817 with 96% undecanal selectivity at 99.8% conversion of 1-decene, using NMP as the additive.