Compartmentalization of Brönsted Acid/Pybox‐Ru(II) by Polymeric Micelles for One‐Pot Tandem Catalysis

Abstract One‐pot tandem catalysis has been favored by researchers for its ability to achieve the advantage of a shortened production process. In this paper, polymeric micelles containing Brönsted acid/pybox‐Ru(II) in the hydrophobic cores were prepared for one‐pot tandem catalysis of deacetalization‐transfer hydrogenation reaction. First, block copolymer P[NHS] 30 ‐ b ‐P[PEG 2000 ] 68 containing activated ester (NHS) in the suspended chain was successfully synthesized by ring‐opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) using a functional monomer containing norbornene group (NB‐NHS) and polyethylene glycol containing norbornene group (NB‐PEG 2000 ) as the raw materials. Then, block copolymer P[COOH] 30 ‐ b ‐P[PEG 2000 ] 68 containing Brönsted acid catalyst and complex P[pybox‐Ru] 30 ‐ b ‐P[PEG 2000 ] 68 containing pybox‐Ru(II) catalyst were prepared by the activated ester functionalization strategy. The copolymers and complexes were characterized using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Then, polymeric micelles with the catalysts encapsulated in hydrophobic cores were achieved by the self‐assembly of the above copolymers in water. The prepared polymeric micelles as catalytic nanoreactors were successfully applied to one‐pot tandem catalysis of the deacetalization‐transfer hydrogenation reaction, demonstrating excellent catalytic efficiency. This study provided a facile and efficient strategy for tandem catalysis.