Palladium supported on Al2O3–CeO2 modified with ionic liquids as a highly active catalyst of the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling

•The simultaneous impregnation of Al2O3–CeO2 with PdCl2 and ionic liquid afforded active highly catalysts of Suzuki reaction.•The yield increase was noted at the presence of imidazolium-type ionic liquids.•The TOF values up to 6000 h−1 were obtained.•Metal Pd nanoparticles were formed under catalytic reaction conditions.•The distribution of palladium inside the support was not uniform and changed during the reaction.

Palladium catalysts immobilized on Al2O3–CeO2 and modified with ionic liquids (ILs), formed Suzuki–Miyaura products with yields of up to 97%. A catalyst containing [bmim]BF4 showed unchanged activity in three consecutive runs. During the Suzuki–Miyaura reaction, Pd(0) nanoparticles were formed with a diameter of 6–10 nm depending on the kind of IL used. The distribution of palladium inside the Al2O3–CeO2 support was not uniform, with the maximum in the central part of the wire. The migration of palladium in the support was observed during the reaction.

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