Rhodium Colloidal Suspensions Stabilised by Poly‐N‐donor Ligands in Non‐Aqueous Ionic Liquids: Preliminary Investigation into the Catalytic Hydrogenation of Arenes

In a state of suspension: Colloidal suspensions of Rh0 nanoparticles stabilised by polynitrogen ligands such as 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine were prepared in the ionic liquid l-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([BMI][PF6]) by chemical reduction of RhIII. The resulting suspensions of ligand-stabilised metallic nanoparticles were then applied as catalysts in the hydrogenation of arenes with excellent results.