Enhancing the catalytic efficiency of the Heck coupling reaction by forming 5 nm Pd octahedrons using kinetic control

• Published in: Nano research 2015-06, Vol.8 (6), p.2115-2123
• Main Authors: Long, Ran, Wu, Di, Li, Yaping, Bai, Yu, Wang, Chengming, Song, Li, Xiong, Yujie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acids; Atomic/Molecular Structure and Spectra; Biomedicine; Biotechnology; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Efficiency; Heck; Interface reactions; Joining; Materials Science; Nanocrystals; Nanotechnology; Octahedrons; Palladium; Particle size; Reaction kinetics; Research Article; Weight reduction; 偶联反应; 催化效率; 八面体; 动力学控制; 界面反应; 纳米晶体; 钯
• ISSN: 1998-0124; 1998-0000
• DOI: 10.1007/s12274-015-0722-1

Heterogeneous catalysis occurs through a process of interfacial reactions; therefore, both surface facet and size control can increase catalytic efficiency. Octahedral Pd nanocrystals, enclosed by {111} facets, should be the ideal geometrical shape for Heck coupling reactions; however, it is challenging to synthesize 5 nm Pd octahedrons with a relatively uniform size distribution using existing capping-agent techniques. Here, we used palladium as a model system to investigate how the kinetics of atomic addition could be precisely controlled using a syringe pump. As a result, our method produced Pd octahedrons as small as 5 nm, which increased the catalytic efficiency of Heck coupling reactions while reducing the weight of catalyst used.