Highly Efficient Pd/SiO2–Dimethyl Sulfoxide Catalyst System for Selective Semihydrogenation of Alkynes

Abstract

Abstract Silica-supported Pd nanoparticles (Pd/SiO2) with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) show excellent catalytic activity and selectivity for the semihydrogenation of alkynes. Small amounts of DMSO drastically suppress the overhydrogenation and isomerization of alkenes. This catalyst system is also applicable to both internal and terminal alkynes. Furthermore, the Pd/SiO2 catalyst was separable from the reaction mixture after the hydrogenation and reusable without loss of its high catalytic activity or selectivity.