Cobalt–nickel alloy catalysts for hydrosilylation of ketones synthesized by utilizing metal–organic framework as template

In this article, we report an approach to synthesize alloy Co–Ni nanoparticles encapsulated in carbon by utilization of the MOF, ZIF-67, as a sacrificial template. The alloy CoNi materials are synthesized by incipient wetness impregnation of cobalt-containing ZIF-67 with nickel(II) nitrate followed by carbonization. The formation of alloy nanoparticles was verified by XRD and TEM analysis showed that they are distributed evenly throughout the entire material. The carbon encapsulating the alloy nanoparticles is N-doped and graphitic according to XPS analysis. Further characterization by ICP, N2-physisorption, and SEM imaging was also performed. The CoNi materials exhibited promising activity in the catalytic hydrosilylation of ketones. A carbonization temperature of 800 °C provided the best catalyst for this transformation. The reaction conditions were optimized, different silanes tested, a time study conducted, and the heterogeneity of the catalysis assessed with different tests. Finally, a substrate scope of various ketones was examined.