Transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone in an organic-aqueous biphasic system containing double long-chain surfactants

Transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone catalyzed by awater-soluble ruthenium complex, RuCl2(TPPTS)(2) [TPPTS: P(m-C6H4SO3Na)(3)], in the presence of surfactants, was studied. The results showed that the reaction was obviously accelerated by double long-chain cationic surfactants. This was attributed to the formation of vesicles. The active ruthenium catalyst was enriched at the biphasic interface owing to the static electricity attraction between ruthenium anionic species and the positive electric field of the vesicle hydrophilic interface, at the same time the water insoluble substrate was solubilized in the hydrophobic interior core of vesicles.