Palladium nanoparticles supported on poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone)-grafted silica as new recyclable catalyst for Heck cross-coupling reactions

Novel catalytic system based on palladium nanoparticles supported on poly (N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) grafted silica was prepared. Aminopropylsilica was reacted with acryloyl chloride to form acrylamidopropylsilica, and onto this functionalized silica vinylpyrrolidone monomer was polymerized by free-radical polymerization. The complexation of PVP-grafted silica with PdCl₂ was carried out to obtain the heterogeneous catalytic system. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) image showed that palladium dispersed through the support in nanometer size. This catalytic system exhibited excellent activity in cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides, bromides and also chlorides with olefinic compounds in Heck-Mizoraki reactions in short reaction time and high yields. Elemental analysis of Pd by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique and hot filtration test showed low leaching of the metal into solution from the supported catalyst. The catalyst can be reused several times in repeating Heck reaction cycles without considerable loss in its activity.