Catalysis in flow: Operando study of Pd catalyst speciation and leaching

• A custom-made plug flow reactor (PFR) was constructed for examining Pd catalysis.
• Leaching/reaction profiles of two Pd catalysts for the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction were established by filtration studies.
• The PFR was used to examine catalyst activation and deactivation processes.
• Ethanol was found to affect the catalysts differently.
• Leaching and speciation of Pd along the catalyst bed has been observed for the very first time.

A custom-made plug flow reactor was designed and constructed to examine the behaviour of Pd catalysts during Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions. Spatial-temporal resolution of catalyst activation, deactivation and leaching processes can be obtained by single-pass experiments. Subsequent deployment of the flow reactor in a XAS beam line revealed speciation of Pd along the catalyst bed.

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