Rational Localization of Metal Nanoparticles in Yolk–Shell MOFs for Enhancing Catalytic Performance in Selective Hydrogenation of Cinnamaldehyde

Abstract The development of sustainable catalysts to simultaneously improve activity and selectivity remains a challenge. Herein, it is demonstrated that metal nanoparticles (MNPs) can be encapsulated into a yolk–shell metal–organic framework (MOF) with controllable spatial localization to optimize catalytic performance. When the MNPs are located in the void space between the shell and the core of the MOF, the resulting MNPs@MOF composites show both high catalytic activity and selectivity toward the hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes. In particular, the easily recoverable and stable Ptvoid@MOF(Y) shows an exceptionally high selectivity of 98.2 % for cinnamyl alcohol at a high conversion of 97 %. The excellent performance can be attributed to easy diffusion of the reactants to access highly exposed MNPs in the MOF support, as well as the improved adsorption of the reactant and desorption of the product due to the appropriate metal–support interaction and rich void space between core and shell.