Factors determining the chemoselectivity of phosphorus-modified palladium catalysts in the hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes

The precursor nature effect on the state of the Pd–P surface layer in palladium catalysts and on their properties in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of chloronitrobenzenes under mild conditions has been investigated. A general feature of the Pd–P-containing nanoparticles obtained from different precursors and white phosphorus at P/Pd = 0.3 (PdCl₂ precursor) and 0.7 (Pd(acac)₂ precursor) is that their surface contains palladium in phosphide form (BE(Pd3d _5/2) = 336.2 eV and BE(Р2р) = 128.9 eV) and Pd(0) clusters (BE(Pd3d_5/2) = 335.7 eV). Factors having an effect on the chemoselectivity of the palladium catalysts in chloronitrobenzenes hydrogenation are considered, including the formation of small palladium clusters responsible for hydrogenation under mild conditions.