Electronic structure modulation of Pd ( = 2-5) nanoclusters in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde

• Published in: Chemical communications (Cambridge, England) England), 2023-07, Vol.59 (57), p.8854-8857
• Main Authors: Tang, Jie, Ge, Tingting, Wang, Wenxuan, Liu, Chao, Huang, Jiahui
• Format: Article
• ISSN: 1359-7345; 1364-548X
• DOI: 10.1039/d3cc01794j

Studying the modulation of nanoclusters at an atomic scale is essential to comprehend the connection between properties and catalytic performance. Herein, we synthesized and characterized Pd n ( n = 2-5) nanoclusters coordinated with di-1-adamantylphosphine. Pd 5 nanoclusters showed the best catalytic performance (conversion = 99.3%, selectivity = 95.3%) for the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to hydrocinnamaldehyde, with XPS identifying Pd δ + as the key active component. This work aimed to explore the relationship among the number of Pd atoms, their electronic structure and catalytic activity. The electronic structure of precisely atomic Pd n /C ( n = 2-5) has dominant catalytic performance in the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde.