Organometallic complexes in supported ionic-liquid phase (SILP) catalysts: a PHIP NMR spectroscopy study

para-Hydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) NMR spectroscopy emerges as an efficient and robust method for on-line monitoring of gas-phase hydrogenation reactions. Here we report detailed investigations of supported ionic liquid phase (SILP) catalysts in a continuous gas-phase hydrogenation of propene with PHIP NMR spectroscopy. A relocation of the rhodium complex in the thin layer of ionic liquid in the SILP catalyst at the initial stage of the propene hydrogenation is demonstrated. PHIP NMR spectroscopy can provide profound insight into the evolution of SILP catalysts during hydrogenation reactions.