Hydroformylation of alkenes over rhodium supported on the metal-organic framework ZIF-8

A highly porous and crystalline metal-organic framework (MOF) ZIF-8 has been synthesized and used for the preparation of a supported rhodium nanoparticle catalyst (Rh@ZIF-8). The material has been characterized by PXRD, TEM, EDX, ICP-AES and nitrogen adsorption. The catalytic properties of Rh@ZIF-8 have been investigated in the hydroformylation of alkenes, with different chain length and structure, to give the corresponding aldehydes, and showed high activity. Furthermore, after the reaction was complete, the catalyst could be easily separated from the products by simple decantation and reused five times without a significant decrease in the activity under the investigated conditions.