An efficient ligand- and copper-free Sonogashira reaction catalyzed by palladium nanoparticles supported on pectin

•Green and in situ formation of palladium nanoparticles in water.•Pdnp/Pectin system shows the good catalytic activity for Sonogashira reaction in short times and aerobic conditions.•Pdnp/Pectin could be recycled and reused.

A novel and green procedure for synthesis of Palladium nanoparticles (2–6 nm) supported on pectin, as a reductant and ligand is described. The synthesized catalyst was further successfully explored in copper, ligand- and amine-free Sonogashira–Hagihara coupling of various aryl iodides, bromides and chlorides as well as heteroaryl halides with phenylacetylene under aerobic conditions. It was found that the catalyst exhibited a high activity and selectivity for the Sonogashira–Hagihara reaction. The catalyst can be recovered and recycled by a simple filtration of the reaction solution with some decrease in catalytic activity.

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