Allylic isomerization of dichlorobutenes catalyzed by iron-containing nanoparticles stabilized in polymeric matrices

Iron-containing clusters obtained by the decomposition of iron complexes in a solutionmelt of a polymeric matrix exhibit catalytic activity in the isomerization of dichlorobutenes. The activity of the clusters stabilized in the polytetrafluoroethylene and polyethylene matrices depends on the nature of the stabilizing matrix and the content of the metal in it,i. e., on the size and structure of the cluster, and substantially exceeds the activity of supported metals and powders. The clusters in the polytetrafluoroethylene matrix are more active than those in polyethylene. The dependence of the catalytic activity on the metal content has an extreme character, and for the polyethylene matrix it achieves a maximum at a metal content of ≈10%. In catalysts with this composition, the particle size increases to 4–5 nm, and the distance between them is shortened, on the average, to 10 nm, which leads to interaction of the cluster particles with each other.