One-pot hydrothermal synthesis of Pd/Fe3O4 nanocomposite in HEPES buffer solution and catalytic activity for Suzuki reaction

•Pd/Fe3O4 nanocomposite was made by a facile one-pot hydrothermal method.•In-situ formed Pd/Fe3O4 had excellent activity for various Suzuki reactions.•In-situ formed Pd/Fe3O4 was magnetically recoverable and recycled for ten runs.

The Pd/Fe3O4 nanocomposite integrates versatile Pd nanocatalysts with magnetic separation, and has great potential in fine chemical and pharmaceutical synthesis. Its preparation usually involves multi-steps. Herein it was prepared via a facile one-pot hydrothermal synthesis in 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)-1-piperazineethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer solution with the assistant of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). HEPES plays multi-functions, particularly as a ligand to enhance the oxidation of Fe2+ to Fe3+ and as a buffer to control the pH value at slightly basic conditions (ca. 7.4) for the formation of crystalline Fe3O4 phase via Fe2+/Fe3+ co-precipitation. PVP works as a dispersant to prevent the particle from aggregation. The obtained Pd/Fe3O4 nanocomposite comprised uniform Pd nanoparticles (ca. 5 nm) deposited on Fe3O4 nanocrystals (ca. 15 nm). It exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability for various Suzuki coupling reactions, and could be efficiently recovered with a magnet and recycled for at least 10 cycles without losing catalytic activity.

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