Design of Glycerol-Based Solvents for the Immobilization of Palladium Nanocatalysts: A Hydrogenation Study

Twenty-one green solvents, including glycerol-derived ethers, and their eutectic mixtures with two renewable ammonium salts, were used for the straightforward synthesis, stabilization, and immobilization of palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs). The nature of the solvent allows tuning of the characteristics and properties of resulting catalytic systems in terms of particle size and morphology, stability, reactivity, and recoverability. Pd NPs immobilized in glycerol-based solvents were applied in the catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes, alkynes, and carbonyl compounds, as well as in the selective semihydrogenation of alkynes to alkenes. The optimal experimental parameters and the influence on the reactivity of the physicochemical properties of solvent, mainly the viscosity, were studied. Moreover, the most active and recoverable catalytic system, Pd NPs/N00Cl-100, was fully characterized both in the liquid phase and in the solid state, and its deactivation upon recovery was analyzed.

Recent advances in the development of palladium nanocatalysts for sustainable organic transformations

In this review, we highlighted Pd nanocatalysts which have been used in the development of sustainable organic transformations including transfer hydrogenation, C–H bond activation, and some carbon–carbon couplings in the last five years.

A Sustainable Palladium-Intercalated Montmorillonite Clay Catalytic System for Imine Hydrogenation under Mild Conditions

A series of palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) intercalated montmorillonite clay catalysts is reported for hydrogenation of 3-diphenyl prop-2-en-1-imine under mild reaction conditions. Pd/clay catalyst was prepared by a simple wet-impregnation method, and the physicochemical properties were characterized extensively by various techniques including N₂ adsorption, XRD, TEM, XPS and TPR etc., which showed the intercalation of active Pd NPs between the clay layers. The effect of reaction conditions such as catalyst loading, reaction time, temperature and H₂ pressure is explored, and thereby a plausible mechanism is proposed. The optimum amount of 6 wt % Pd/clay catalyst showed significant catalytic activity to yield 3-phenyl propyl aniline with 100 % conversion and selectivity under 5 bar pressure and a shorter reaction period of 3.5 h at 100 °C. The developed catalytic system unveiled excellent reusability over five cycles and hence paved the way for industrial applications.

PdII Immobilized on Ferromagnetic Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Functionalized by Aminated 2-Chloroethylphosphonic Acid with S-Methylisothiourea (FMMWCNTs@CPA@SMTU@PdII NPs) Applied as a Highly Efficient and Recyclable Nanostructured Catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura and Mizoroki–Heck Cross-Coupling Reactions in Solvent-Free Conditions

The new ferromagnetic nanostructured FMMWCNTs@CPA@SMTU@PdII NPs (IV) as an eco-friendly heterogeneous nanocatalyst with a particle size of ~20–30nm reported earlier by our group has been found to be very effective for Suzuki–Miyaura and Mizoroki–Heck cross-coupling reactions at ambient temperature. The procedure has been applied for a wide range of aryl halides, arylboronic acids, and alkenes. The magnetic separation by an external magnetic field, mild reaction conditions, and catalyst reusability up to four times without significant decrease in catalytic activity (reduced catalytic activity from 11 to 18% in the fifth, sixth, and seventh cycles) made the present method sustainable and economically viable for C–C cross-coupling reactions.

Heterogeneous Catalytic Composites from Palladium Nanoparticles in Montmorillonite Intercalated with Poly (Vinyl Pyrrolidone) Chains

In this study, poly (vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) chains intercalated montmorillonite (MMT) matrices has been demonstrated as an excellent scaffolding material for the immobilization of palladium (Pd) nanoparticles to prepare efficient heterogeneous catalysts for Heck reactions. Multiple layers (up to four) of PVP chains can intercalate the interlayer space of the MMT, resulting in an increase therein from 1.25 to 3.22 nm. MMT/PVP with PVP loading (20%) was selected as the platform for the immobilization of Pd. The in-situ reduction of the chelated Pd²⁺ into Pd⁰ in the interlayer space of MMT/PVP composite could be easily achieved. For the prepared Pd@MMT/PVP catalytic composite, a unique maze-like microstructure of Pd nanoparticles tightly encaged by PVP chains and by lamellae of layered silica has been detected by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Furthermore, the microstructure is well elucidated in molecular level by positron annihilation lifetime analysis of the Pd@MMT/PVP catalytic composite. The prepared Pd@MMT/PVP catalysts were highly active for the Heck coupling reactions between aromatic halides and alkenes, and could be recycled 9 times without significant decreases in coupling yields. The excellent comprehensive catalytic performances of the Pd@MMT/PVP catalytic composites are mainly attributed to their unique maze-like microstructure.

Synthesis and catalytic application of palladium nanoparticles supported on kaolinite-based nanohybrid materials

Modified kaolinite-supported palladium nanoparticles displayed excellent catalytic activity for the Heck and the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions.

Heck Reactions Catalyzed by Ultrasmall and Uniform Pd Nanoparticles Supported on Polyaniline

Using air as the oxidant instead of the traditionally employed persulfates, the smaller and more uniform Pd nanoparticles (around 2 nm) supported on polyaniline (Pd@PANI) can be easily fabricated by the oxidation-polymerization of aniline with PdCl2. This material is an efficient and environmentally friendly catalyst for Heck reactions due to its recyclability, low loading, and ligand-free and mild reaction conditions. It was even tolerant to sulfur-containing substrates. This work reports the Pd@PANI-catalyzed Heck reactions with very wide substrate scopes, and discloses the catalytic mechanisms based on experimental findings and results of catalyst analysis and characterization.