A polymer supported palladium(II) β-ketoesterate complex as active and recyclable pre-catalyst for selective reduction of quinolines in water with sodium borohydride

• Polymer supported Pd catalyst (Pd-pol) promoted the quinoline transfer hydrogenation.
• Pd-pol was active under mild conditions in water.
• The catalyst could be reused at least seven times without loss of activity.
• Pd leaching did not occur.
• The in situ formed supported Pd nanoparticles were the true active species.

A polymer supported palladium catalyst, obtained by copolymerization of Pd(AAEMA)2 [AAEMA− = deprotonated form of 2-(acetoacetoxy) ethyl methacrylate] with ethyl methacrylate (co-monomer) and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (cross-linker), exhibited excellent activity and selectivity for the hydrogenation of quinolines to 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinolines in the presence of NaBH4 as hydrogen donor in water. Both the activity and selectivity could be maintained for at least seven reaction runs. No metal leaching into solution occurred during recycles. TEM analyzes carried out on the catalyst showed that the active species were supported palladium nanoparticles having a mean size of 3 nm, which did not aggregate with the recycles.

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