Confinement of Cu^II-phthalocyanine in a bioinspired hybrid nanoparticle-assembled structure yields selective and stable epoxidation catalysts

Herein, we demonstrate that a bioinspired assembly of silica nanoparticles with polyamines as structure-directing agents similar to that known for the biosilicification of diatoms can pave the way for the efficient encapsulation of sulfonated copper-phthalocyanine in a hybrid microcapsule structure, in which the organic component provides a capable environment for its catalytic activity in epoxidation reactions and the nanoassembled structure imparts stability.