Iranian Researchers Use Eco-Friendly Method to Synthesize Palladium Nanoparticles

TEHRAN (FNA)- Iranian researchers at Shiraz University managed to synthesize palladium metallic nanocatalyst at gram scale and used it in Sonogashira reaction through an environmentally-friendly method.
"We sought to synthesize catalysts with no harm to the environment which have high capability for organic reactions as well," Seyed Habib Firouzabadi, professor at chemistry department, University of Shiraz, said.

Elaborating on the synthesis procedure, he said, "We mixed an aqueous solution of gelatin and a very dilute solution of palladium chloride salt in water. We, then, refluxed this solution. Under these conditions, the free carboxylic groups available in gelatin act as palladium reductants in the presence of heat and produce palladium metallic nanocatalyst."

"These nanoparticles are stabilized by amide groups trapped in gelatin. Finally, the nanoparticles are ready for consumption after drying."

Stressing the easy production of nanoparticles at gram scale in this method compared with the previous studies in which palladium nanocatalysts were produced at milligram scale, he added, "Considering that these particles are soluble in water, they are friendly to the environment. Moreover, no external reductant has been used and the gelatin bed, itself, acted as palladium salt reductant"

The nanocatalyst could be applied as a heterogeneous recyclable catalyst in oxidation reduction processes in different advanced industries.