In situ stabilization of Pd(0) nanoparticles into a mixture of natural carbohydrate beads: A novel and highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst system for Heck coupling reactions

Abstract

A convenient, mild and cost‐effective synthesis of palladium nanoparticles stabilized by a mixture of natural carbohydrate beads (gum arabic and pectin) as a new bio‐organometallic catalyst is reported. Powder X‐ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopies and energy‐dispersive X‐ray and UV–visible spectroscopies were employed to characterize this supported Pd nanoparticles/gum arabic/pectin catalyst. The nanocatalyst exhibited efficient activity in Mizoroki–Heck cross‐coupling reactions between various aryl halides and n ‐butyl acrylate under solvent‐free conditions. The catalyst can easily be recovered from the reaction system and reused several times with high yields. The products were obtained in short reaction times with excellent yields.