Catalyst Tape - Sticky teflon: recovery of fluorine-containing catalysts with a teflon strip
The Erlangen researchers thought that perhaps there doesn't need to be a solvent at all; maybe a fluorine-containing solid could do the job. Their test catalyst consists of a rhodium metal complex hooked to a fluorous ponytail. The orange-red complexes are insoluble in organic solvents at room temperature. The reaction is run at a higher temperature, so the catalyst dissolves. Subsequent cooling then causes it to precipitate out again. "Our goal was to develop a suitable carrier that ensures easy recovery of even tiny amounts of catalyst," says Gladysz. "In fact, this works with a simple, commercially available teflon tape." Just put the teflon strip into the reaction mixture, cool it off, and the white tape starts to turn orange-red as it adsorbs the catalyst.
Teflon is a good plastic for processing. Says Gladysz: "The manufacture of entire reactor linings or reactor parts made of teflon is conceivable. The catalysts could then be released into the reaction mixture or taken out again, depending on the temperature." Another possibility would be a "catalyst tape", a prefabricated catalyst-coated teflon strip. "Even small amounts of catalyst could then be measured out by units of length - no weighing necessary," according to Gladysz.
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