Nanostructure based on polymer brushes for efficient heterogeneous catalysis in microreactors.

PGMA polymer brushes are successfully grown on the inner wall of a microreactor to give a nanostructure. The oxirane groups of the brushes are used for the anchoring of a catalyst. The utility of the combination of catalyst-functionalized brushes and a microreactor is clearly demonstrated for the TBD-catalyzed Knoevenagel condensation reaction of benzaldehyde and malononitrile.