Batchwise and Continuous Nanofiltration of POSS-Tagged Grubbs-Hoveyda-Type Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

New molecular-weight-enlarged metathesis catalysts, which bear polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) tags, were synthesized and characterized. The catalysts can be recovered from the reaction mixture by using nanofiltration techniques and can be reused. It was found that the membranes Starmem 228 and PuraMem 280 successfully separate the catalyst from the post-reaction mixtures to below 3 ppm. The application of these POSS-tagged catalysts in a continuous metathesis reaction was also investigated.