A Review of Dendrimer-Encapsulated Metal Nanocatalysts Applied in the Fine Chemical Transformations

In catalysis, metal nanocatalyst size and stability are crucial parameters directly connected to the catalytic activity. Dendrimers consist of one of the relevant templates capable of encapsulating smaller metal nanocatalysts with the size dimension ranging from 1 to 5 nm. Metal nanocatalysts encapsulated in dendrimer describe a long physical stability estimated to more than 2 months. The innovative physicochemical properties exhibited by metal nanocatalysts tremendously improve the rate constants of redox model reactions. The catalytic pathway by which a catalytic reaction proceeds in the presence of nanocatalysts can be detailed by the means of adsorption isotherm models. The Langmuir–Hinshelwood approach constitutes a reliable the adsorption isotherm model capable of studying the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters on the nanocatalyst surface. The use of dendrimer as a metal nanocatalyst template plays an essential role in both metal stability and shift from homogeneous to heterogeneous nanocatalysts. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]