Palladium nanoparticles supported on Smopex® metal scavengers as catalyst for carbonylative Sonogashira reactions: Synthesis of α,β-alkynyl ketones

•Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NP) prepared by means of metal vapour synthesis technique.•Deposition of Pd NP on Smopex® metal scavengers.•Pd/Smopex®-234 catalyses selectively carbonylative Sonogashira reactions.•Preliminary tests indicate a heterogeneous behaviour.

Palladium nanoparticles supported on two Smopex® commercial metal scavengers (1% w/w) have been tested in the carbonylative Sonogashira reactions of aryl iodides with phenylacetylene. Their catalytic activity has been compared with those of more common catalysts (Pd/C, Pd/γ-Al2O3). Pd/Smopex®-234 resulted especially effective in the synthesis of alkynyl ketones even working with a low amount of palladium (0.2–0.5 mol%). Preliminary heterogeneity tests (i.e. hot filtration test, Pd leaching and recycle of the catalyst) have been performed in order to evaluate the catalytic behaviour of this system. The obtained results seem to indicate that Pd/Smopex®-234 could act as a truly heterogeneous catalyst.

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