Metal catalyst and hydrogenation method employing the same

Abstract

A metal catalyst for hydrogenating unsaturated carbon-carbon bonds of copolymer is provided. The metal catalyst is a bimetallic complex comprising iridium and ruthenium. The metal catalyst has a formula comprising M1aM2bXm(L1)n, wherein the M1 is iridium, M2 is ruthenium; X is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, iodine or pseudo halide; L1 is phosphine , bisphosphine, arsane or organic with nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen.

Description

Claims

1. A metal catalyst comprising a bimetallic complex for hydrogenating unsaturated polymers, wherein the bimetallic complex catalyst comprises iridium and ruthenium.

2. The metal catalyst of claim 1, having the formula: M1aM2bXm(L1)n Wherein M1 is iridium, M2 is ruthenium; X is hydrogen, chlorine, bromine, iodine or pseudo halide; L1 is phosphine (formula: PR1R2R3), bisphosphine, arsane (formula: AsR1R2R3) or organic with nitrogen, sulfur and oxygen, in which R1 to R3 are identical or different and represent C1˜C6 alkyl, C6˜C12 cycloalkyl, aryl, C7˜C12 arakyl or aryloxy; 1≦a≦4, b=0−4;3≦m≦6;6<n≦15.

3. The metal catalyst of claim 2, wherein X is hydrogen or chlorine.

4. The metal catalyst of claim 2, wherein L1 represents free trimethyl phosphine, triethyl phosphine, triphenyl phosphine, triphenoxyl phosphine, tri-p-methoxybenzyl phosphine, diphenethyl phosphine, 1,4-bis-phenylphosphino butane, 1,2-bis-phenylphosphino ethane, triphenyl arsenic, dibutylphenyl arsenic, diphenylethyl arsenic, triphenyl amine, triethyl amine, N,N-dimethyl aniline, diphenyl sulfone, dipropyl sulfone, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylene amine, acetyl acetone, or benzophenone.

5. The metal catalyst of claim 2, wherein L1 is triphenyl phosphine.

6. The metal catalyst of claim 1, wherein the unsaturated polymer is nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR).

7. A method of hydrogenating unsaturated polymers, comprising: providing a metal catalyst, wherein the metal catalyst is a bimetallic complex catalyst comprising iridium and ruthenium; andhydrogenating unsaturated polymers by the metal catalyst.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the metal catalyst hydrogenates a carbon-carbon double bond of the unsaturated polymer.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the iridium and ruthenium have a molecular ratio of about 1:1.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the unsaturated polymer is nitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR).

11. A method of producing hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber, comprising providing a metal catalyst comprising a bimetallic complex catalyst comprising iridium and ruthenium; andhydrogenating a carbon-carbon double bond of nitrile-butadiene rubber by the metal catalyst to produce hydrogenated nitrile-butadiene rubber.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the iridium and ruthenium have a molecular ratio of about 1:1.