Immobilized Pd on a NHC-Functionalized Metal-organic FrameworkMIL-101(Cr): An Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst in the Heck and Copper-free Sonogashira Coupling Reactions

Abstract A heterogeneous palladium catalyst system based on immobilization of palladium moieties on a N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) modified metal organic framework (MOF) was developed for the Heck and copper-free Sonogashira coupling reactions. In order to prepare this catalyst system, first, MIL-101(Cr) was functionalized with NHC moieties through a post synthetic modification (PSM) approach, and then Pd metal was stabilized on the prepered MIL-101(Cr)-NHC substrate. This material was characterized using various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques and then was used as an efficient heterogeneous Pd catalyst system in the Heck and copper-free Sonogashira reactions. Results of the heterogeneity tests showed that the Pd-NHC-MIL-101(Cr) catalyst can efficiently catalyzed these coupling reactions heterogeneously and no remarkable changes observed in the morphology and structure of MIL-101(Cr) template during the reaction progress. Also, existence of palladium nanoparticles immobilized on the MOF structure affirmed by the TEM and XPS analysis confirmed the oxidation state of Pd. A variety of alkene and alkyne derivatives were synthesized in good to excellent yields using this heterogeneous Pd catalyst system under normal conditions. More importantly Pd-NHC-MIL-101(Cr) catalyst was simply recovered from the reaction medium without remarkable decreasing in its catalytic activities after five times of reusability. The ICP analysis showed the very low Pd and Cr metals leaching, representing high stability and applicability of this catalyst in Pd coupling reactions.