Design and Development of heterogeneous stereo-selective asymmetrically modified noble metal catalyst

Supported nickel catalysts were prepared from nickel acetylacetonate, and then modified in a solution containing tartaric acid and NaBr. The effect of the catalyst preparation conditions on optical yield were examined in the enantio-differentiating hydrogenation of methyl acetoacetate. The maximal optical yield of 86% was attained when zeolite was used as the support. XRD and TEM analyses indicated that high optical yields were attained with a nickel crystallite size of about .50 nm.