Si-thiol supported atomic-scale palladium as efficient and recyclable catalyst for Suzuki coupling reaction

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Atomic-scale catalysts combine heterogeneous stability with homogeneous active site isolation.
• Developing efficient and reusable catalysts is crucial for sustainable chemical synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize a novel palladium catalyst supported by Si-thiol.
• To investigate the catalytic activity and reusability of the Pd/Si-thiol catalyst for Suzuki coupling.

Main Methods:

• Synthesis of palladium catalyst on Si-thiol.
• Characterization using SEM, TEM, STEM-HAADF, XRD, FT-IR, and XPS.
• Evaluation of catalytic performance in Suzuki coupling reactions.

Main Results:

• The catalyst predominantly featured atomic-scale palladium species (<2 nm nanoparticles and isolated atoms).
• Atomic clusters were identified as the primary active sites for Suzuki coupling.
• The Pd/Si-thiol catalyst exhibited excellent reusability over three cycles with no significant activity loss.
• Reaction outcomes were sensitive to solvent choice.

Conclusions:

• Pd/Si-thiol represents a highly effective and reusable atomic-scale catalyst for Suzuki coupling.
• The catalyst's structure, particularly the atomic clusters, is key to its reactivity.
• Solvent optimization is important for maximizing catalytic efficiency.