Supported ionic-liquid films (SILF) as two-dimensional nanoreactors for enantioselective reactions: surface-mediated selectivity modulation (SMSM).

Supported ionic-liquid films (SILF) of nanometric thickness containing bis(oxazoline)-copper complexes can be used as recoverable catalysts for enantioselective cyclopropanation reactions. When a thin film of ionic liquid is supported on a clay, the system behaves as a nearly two-dimensional nanoreactor in which the restrictions in rotational mobility and the close proximity to the surface support produce variations in the stereo- and enantioselectivities, leading to a complete reversal of the overall selectivity of the reaction. As an example, the cyclopropanation of styrene changes from a preference for the (1S,2S)-trans isomer in bulk solution to the (1R,2S)-cis isomer in the SILF.