Photodegradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by supported Pd(X2) catalyst (X = Cl, Br, N3): a HOMO manipulating point of view

Three different palladium(II) complexes with ligands containing nitrogenized aromatic rings were investigated theoretically as model to obtain the computational band gap energies. The results demonstrated promising possibility for designing palladium(II) complexes with photocatalytic properties at visible light irradiation. Deliberated products were synthesized via grafting on the silica-coated Fe₃O₄ magnetic nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂). Formation of complexes on the surface of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂, as insoluble and reusable photocatalysts, was proved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses. The trend of the band gap energies of prepared structures was calculated via experimental and theoretical methods. The photocatalytic capability of these nanoparticles was investigated in degradation of 2,4-dichlorophenol by means of HPLC analysis. A tentative reaction mechanism for the formation of intermediates was proposed. Graphical abstract ᅟ.