Pillar[5]arene-Derived Terpyridinepalladium(II) Complex: Synthesis, Characterization, and Application in Green Catalysis
Yang Wang, Ruowen Tang, Yue Zhang, Yu Dai, Qixiang Zhou, Youjun Zhou, Chao‐Guo Yan, Bing Lü, Jin Wang, Yong Yao
Abstract
Metal nanoparticle catalysts have attracted great interest because they possess high surface-to-volume ratios and exhibit a very large number of catalytically active sites per unit area. However, high surface-to-volume ratios will induce nanoparticle aggregates during the catalytic reactions, making them lose their catalytic activity. In this work, a monoterpyridine-unit-functionalized pillar[5]arene (TP5) was synthesized successfully, which can be used as anchoring sites for the controllable preparation of well-dispersed palladium nanoparticles [TP5/Pd(0) NPs]. The as-prepared TP5/Pd(0) NPs were fully characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. Importantly, the ultrafine TP5/Pd(0) NPs are found to be excellent and reusable catalysts for the reduction of nitrophenols in aqueous solution.