Impact of cyclodextrins on the behavior of amphiphilic ligands in aqueous organometallic catalysis

In this study, we showed that the addition of randomly modified beta-cyclodextrin (RAME-beta-CD) in aqueous medium could have a beneficial impact on the catalytic performances of phosphane-based aggregates in the Pd-catalyzed cleavage of allyl carbonates (Tsuji-Trost reaction). The RAME-beta-CD/phosphane supramolecular interactions helped explain the catalytic results. The presence of RAME-beta-CD in the aqueous compartment improved the phosphane-based aggregate dynamics. The exchanges between the hydrophobic substrate-containing aggregate core and the catalyst-containing aqueous phase were then greatly favored, resulting in an increase in the catalytic performances.