Palladium nanoparticles supported on polyvinylpyridine: Catalytic activity in Heck-type reactions and XPS structural studies

Palladium nanoparticles, obtained by metal vapour synthesis (MVS), were deposited on cross-linked polyvinylpyridine. The Pd/PVPy system showed high catalytic activity in the Heck CC coupling reaction of iodo- and bromo-arenes (iodobenzene, bromobenzene, p-nitrobromobenzene, p-bromoacetophenone, p-(methoxy)bromobenzene) with alkyl acrylates (methyl acrylate, n-butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl trans-3-(4-methoxyphenyl)acrylate) at 100 °C–175 °C working under nitrogen atmosphere as well as in air. The catalyst is stable and the leaching of metal in solution is very low. When reused, the recovered Pd/PVPy maintains the catalytic activity of the pristine material. XPS structural studies performed on the starting catalyst as well as on the recovered one indicate the presence of a interaction between the basic nitrogen of the pyridine present in the polymer and the metal.

Graphical abstractThe Pd/PVPy system is very active in the Heck CC coupling reaction. The catalyst is stable in air, can be reused several times without loss of activity and the leaching of metal in solution is negligible.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload high-quality image (55 K)Download as PowerPoint slide