Herein, we report the synthesis and application of a
highly active
and versatile Pd/chemical vapor synthesis-ZnO (Pd/CVS-ZnO) catalytic
system. The two-step preparation of the catalyst includes chemical
vapor synthesis (CVS) of ultrapure ZnO nanotetrapods, followed by
the liquid-phase in situ reduction of a Pd precursor and deposition
of polycrystalline Pd nanoparticles (∼6 nm). The as-synthesized
catalyst was characterized using standard instrumental techniques.
The catalyst was successfully applied in four chemical reactions:
Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling, reduction of nitroarenes, decarbonylation,
and hydrodebromination of aromatic compounds, of which, the latter
two are reported for the first time for the Pd/ZnO catalytic system.
The catalyst showed excellent activity within a wide range of substrates,
delivering the products in high yields (70–99%). The recyclability
of the Pd/CVS-ZnO catalyst was tested through two different approaches.
First, the catalyst recyclability was examined in all four reactions,
reusing the catalyst up to four times in the Suzuki–Miyaura
cross-coupling reaction, as well as the reduction of 4-nitrobenzonitrile,
without a significant loss of yield. Furthermore, the catalyst was
successively used in three different reactions, showing a high degree
of stability and delivering excellent product yields in all cases.
In addition to its excellent activity, versatility, and stability,
the Pd/CVS-ZnO catalytic system also exhibits excellent recyclability
over consecutive runs, which makes it a promising candidate for future
application in complex industrial processes.