Dendrimer-stabilized bimetallic Pd/Au nanoparticles: Preparation, characterization and application to vinyl acetate synthesis

• Dendrimer-stabilized bimetallic Pd/Au nanoparticles were prepared.
• Particle size is controlled by dendrimer:metal ratio and dendrimeric scaffold.
• The alloy structure was confirmed by UV–vis spectroscopy, XRPD and TEM imaging.
• Immobilized Pd/Au nanoparticles are active catalysts in vinyl acetate synthesis.

The preparation, characterization and a novel application to vinyl acetate synthesis of dendrimer-stabilized Pd/Au nanoparticles are described. The nanoparticles were synthesized by co-precipitation of aqueous Pd2 +/Au3 + salt solutions with hydrazine in the presence of (poly)amidoamine (PAMAM)-based dendrimers functionalized with terminal ethylene glycol ethers. Characterization by transmission electron microscopy and UV–vis spectroscopy confirmed that alloyed Pd/Au nanoparticles with a mean diameter of 6.0 (± 1.2) to 10.4 (± 1.7) nm were formed. After nanoparticle immobilization onto a silica support and thermal dendrimer removal, the resulting materials are high active catalysts in ethylene acetoxylation to vinyl acetate monomer with a productivity of 2.1 kgVAM kgcat− 1 h− 1.

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