The preparation and application of heterogenized metal complexes is a relatively new field of research resulting in a new way of catalysis, that we cannot realize either with traditional homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts. The heterogenized metal complexes can successfully combine the excellent performance (high activity and selectivity) of homogeneous catalysts with the easy separation and recycling of the heterogeneous catalysts. Additionally, in several cases the immobilization of metal complexes leads to enhanced stereo-, chemo-and enantioselectivity, interpreted by a mechanism related to the "confinement concept". This review gives a summary of the different ways of preparation of heterogenized metal complexes on inorganic matrices and shows some applications of such catalysts in synthetic organic chemistry.
a) Direct Attachment to the SupportThis can be performed in several different ways: by simple adsorption, ion-pair formation or using an anchoring agent. The easy preparation of these systems is a clear advantage, but their sensitivity to solvent effects is an important drawback.Charges were created on silica via reaction with a silylating agent containing a SO 3 --group. The positively charged Rh(I)-complexes were then ion-exchanged and used in hydrogenations. Leaching could be avoided in toluene and water, but not in methanol [17]. LDHs were used to retain a sulfonated BINAP complex bearing 4 negative charges via