It′s teamwork! A composite of ionic liquid (IL)‐stabilized palladium(0) nanoparticles and a pyridinium salt of iron bis(dicarbollide) (5) was found to be efficient for oxidation of substituted benzyl alcohols and lignin to produce aromatic aldehydes.

Well-dispersed palladium (0) nanoparticles stabilized with phosphonium based ionic liquid were synthesized conveniently and fully characterized. A catalyst system comprising of the Pd(0) nanoparticles and a base was found to be recyclable and efficient for the aminocarbonylation reaction of aryl iodide in ionic liquid media. In the presence of potassium tert-butyloxide, for the relatively stable aryl chloride and bromide substrates, medium activities were achieved for the catalyst. The catalyst composites can be recycled at least five times with sustained activity.

We report on the application of biodegradable cyclic poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) as new stabilizer; synthesis and application of a cyclic PLLA-clay hybrid material as recyclable catalyst support. Cyclic PLLAs were used to stabilize palladium nanoparticles synthesized by a wet chemical method. It was found that the palladium particles were smaller with cyclic PLLA stabilizer ($5-10 nm) than the particles obtained from linear PLLA. The cyclic PLLA-clay hybrid was prepared by a zwitterionic ring-opening polymerization catalyzed by in situ-generated N-heterocyclic carbene catalyst.Palladium (0) nanoparticles were supported and well dispersed on the cyclic PLLA-clay hybrid to form a new nanocomposite. The nanocomposite was found to be a highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the aminocarbonylation reactions of aryl halides with various amines.

Well-dispersed palladium(0) nanoparticles with small and narrow size distributions were synthesized conveniently on a graphene oxide (GO) surface. The GO-supported nano-Pd(0) was found to be a highly efficient and recyclable catalyst for the carbonylative cross-coupling reaction between arylboronic acids and aryl and carboranyl iodides, respectively. Benzophenone and a series of carboranylaryl ketones, 1-R-2-[C(=O)Ar]-1,2-C2B10H10 (R = H, Me, Ph; Ar = C6H5, C6H4-4-OMe and C6H4-4-F), were synthesized and fully characterized. The catalyst was recyclable at least three times with sustained activity.

Modified sulfobetaine bearing tertiary amide spacer between the counterions is synthesized and polymerized by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization technique. The tertiary amide spacer influences various characteristics of the zwitterionic polymer. The modified polyzwitterion, PZI, forms coacervates in deionized water. The coacervates are thoroughly characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and transmittance studies. The ability to form coacervate complexes with functional ingredients has been demonstrated by encapsulating renewable resource actives like ferulic acid. The coacervate complexes have been studied by optical microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and automated sunscreen sun protection factor analyzer. Synergism is noticed in the coacervate complex. Because of its ability to form self-coacervates, this novel addition to the zwitterionic family is potentially useful for encapsulating many functional ingredients through coacervate complex formation.