Selective hydrogenation of nitrile‐butadiene rubber catalyzed by thermoregulated phase transfer phosphine rhodium complex

Hydrogenation of polymer having CC double bond can be carried out with the metal–organic complex as catalyst, which has the property of themoregulated phase transfer. In this study, a new complex RhCl[PPh[(OCH 2 CH 2 ) 5≤ n ≤6 CH 3 ] 2 ] 3 (Rh/AEOPP) was synthesized with a good yield, which was further used as catalyst to selectively hydrogenated nitrile‐butadiene rubber (HNBR). This is the first time that Rh/AEOPP complex was synthesized and applied in nitrile‐butadiene rubber (NBR) hydrogenation. The result shows that hydrogenation degree of product (HNBR) can be extended to 90%, when the condition is [Cat] = 3% (based the weight of NBR), L 2 : Cat (Weight Ratio) = 2, [NBR] = 5% (based on the weight of xylene solution), P (H 2 ) = 1.5 MPa, T = 155°C, and t = 8 h. Also, by adjusting temperature, the catalyst could be easily separated from products with 89% catalyst complex recovery. In addition, 1 H‐NMR and infrared (IR) spectra showed that CC double bonds in NBR was successfully hydrogenated without causing reduction of the CN group. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011