Superior performance of a chiral catalyst confined within mesoporous silica

A chiral catalyst from the ligand 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dpp f) anchored to the inner walls of the mesoporous support MCM-41 and co-ordi nated to Pd-II has been shown to exhibit a degree of regioselectivity and e nantiomeric excess, in the allylic amination of cinnamyl acetate, which is far superior to that of its homogeneous counterpart or that of a surface-bo und analogue attached to a non-porous silica.