Enhanced Pd-catalyzed hydrogenation of olefins within polymeric microreactors under organic/aqueous biphasic conditions.

A microreactor of hollow polymeric microspheres with Pd nanoparticles immobilized in its wall is designed for hydrogenation of olefins under organic/aqueous biphasic catalysis. The microreactor has an ability to encapsulate and concentrate olefins within the vacancy of the hollow microspheres in the aqueous phase, and therefore hydrogenation within the microreactors runs efficiently with concentrated reactants under organic/aqueous biphasic condition (see scheme).