Graphene-supported small-sized palladium nanoparticles made by facile photochemical approaches

To achieve small-sized and well-dispersed palladium (Pd) nanoparticles, we make use of effective photochemical approaches to synthesis of clean Pd nanoparticles on the surface of graphene at room temperature. By modulating the photochemical reaction conditions, the size and dispersion of graphene–Pd composites can be well controlled, where PdCl₄²⁻ and graphene oxide (GO) are the reaction precursors, Hantzsch 1,4-dihydropyridine (HEH) is used as an electron donor and an amine-type ligand to stabilize small Pd nanoparticles on the surface of graphene. As a result, the easy and effective photochemical approaches to the graphene–Pd composites with well-dispersed, small-sized Pd nanoparticles and highly conductive reduced GO, are established. Good to excellent yields have also been achieved with the graphene-supported Pd nanoparticles catalysts for the Suzuki coupling reaction.