Integrative chemistry toward the first spontaneous generation of gold nanoparticles within macrocellular polyHIPE supports (Au@polyHIPE) and their application to eosin reduction

Gold nanoparticles have been generated for the first time within open-cell macrocellular polyHIPE matrices, leading to new hybrid organic–inorganic catalytic supports labelled “Au@polyHIPE”. The overall synthesis can be realized with ease, as it is based on the spontaneous nucleation of gold nanoparticles. These new hybrid organic–inorganic materials have then been tested for heterogeneous catalysis, particularly for eosin Y reduction in the presence of NaBH4. In this reductive media the as-synthesized hybrid catalytic supports “Au@polyHIPE” exhibit a good activity. All the kinetic parameters are discussed in term of internal surface (porosity), external surface (shape), temperature and gold loading revealing a first order reaction