Palladium complex catalyst immobilized on epoxy support under supercritical conditions

The aim of this research was to obtain a new-generation complex catalyst under supercritical carbon dioxide. A new complex catalyst based on epoxy resin cured with multifunctional polythiourethane was prepared. The use of polythiourethane as a hardener allowed us to introduce linking groups into the structure of the polymer without further functionalization of the resin. Additionally, the use of supercritical CO₂ enabled a more accurate and better distribution of the metal complex in the polymer matrix. The presence of the functional groups allowed us to obtain a catalyst wherein the metal centers had a different electronic structure and various degrees of oxidation, so that such a system was characterized by its high selectivity. The catalytic properties of the prepared catalysts were tested in the hydrogenation reaction. Research methods like time-of-flight secondary-ion mass spectrometry (ToF–SIMS), infrared spectroscopy (IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and nitrogen BET surface area measurements were used to characterize polymeric support and heterogenized catalysts.