Interfacially Cross‐Linked Reverse Micelles as Soluble Support for Palladium Nanoparticle Catalysts

Reverse micelles (RM) were formed in heptane/CHCl₃ with a surfactant carrying the triallylammonium (=triprop‐2‐en‐1‐ylammonium) head group (Scheme). Photo‐cross‐linking with dithiothreitol (=rel‐(2R,3R)‐1,4‐dimercaptobutane‐2,3‐diol; DTT) captured the RMs and afforded organic, soluble nanoparticles in a one‐step reaction. Similar to dendrimers, the cross‐linked reverse micelles could encapsulate palladium nanoparticles within their hydrophilic cores and protect them in catalytic reactions. Good to excellent yields were obtained in the Heck coupling of a range of alkyl acrylates (=alkyl prop‐2‐enoates) and iodobenzenes (Tables 1 and 2). The catalytic activity of the palladium nanoparticles was maintained in several repeated runs.