Catalysis on water: Hydrogenation of ketones and aldehydes by platinum nanoparticles dispersed in amphiphilic hyperbranched polystyrene, Pt@HPS-NR₃⁺Cl^-

Platinum nanoparticles dispersed in the ammonium salts of hyperbranched polystyrene, Pt@HPS-NR₃Cl, catalyzed the hydrogenation of ketones and aldehydes when water was used as the solvent without any coexisting organic solvents. The significant increase in the reaction rate was observed when an organodispersible Pt@HPS-N+(C₈H₁₇)₃Cl^-(1a) was used as the catalyst, whereas catalyst recycling was achieved with water-dispersible Pt@HPS-N+(C₄H₉)₃Cl^-(1b).