Highly Dispersed Gold Particles on Polyaniline – A New Nanocatalyst for Selective Hydrogenation

A new nanocatalyst which comprises gold particles (average size = (2.5 ± 1.3) nm) supported on intrinsically conductive polyaniline (PANI) was prepared via a sol-method. This Au/PANI catalyst was used for the first time in hydrogenation of the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde citral exhibiting high activity (93% conversion) and selectivity (76%) towards the products of C=O group hydrogenation, geraniol and nerol, whereas the selectivity towards the product of the hydrogenation of the conjugated C=C bond (citronellal) is rather low (23%).