A facile one-step synthesis of polymer supported rhodium nanoparticles in organic medium and their catalytic performance in the dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane.

A new type of supported rhodium nanoparticles were reproducibly prepared from N(2)H(4)BH(3) reduction of [Rh(μ-Cl)(1,5-cod)](2) without using any solid support and pre-treatment technique. Their characterization shows the formation of well dispersed rhodium(0) nanoparticles within the framework of a polyaminoborane based polymeric support. These new rhodium(0) nanoparticles were found to be the most active supported catalyst in the catalytic dehydrogenation of ammonia-borane in water at room temperature.