One-step synthesis of palladium/SBA-15 nanocomposites and its catalytic application

Well-dispersed palladium nanoparticles in mesoporous SBA-15 SiO2 were prepared in a facile one-step approach during sol–gel route under reductive atmosphere. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results indicate that as-synthesized nanocomposites basically remain ordered two-dimensional hexagonal mesostructure while transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study exhibits a well dispersion of palladium nanoparticles within the mesoporous SBA-15 channels. The size of Pd nanoparticles is approximately in the range of 5–10 nm. However, the resulting nanocomposites exhibit a highly catalytic activity and reused ability at least after five recycles without ligand in air for both the Suzuki and Heck coupling reactions.

Graphical abstractWe present a facile one-step method to prepare palladium/SBA-15 nanocomposites via sol–gel route in the presence of surfactant P123 as structure-directed agent. However, the loading amount of palladium nanoparticles in SBA-15 is tunable with varied amount of palladium salts. The resulting nanocomposites exhibit a high catalytic activity and recycling effect for both the Suzuki and Heck coupling reactions.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide