Defining the Qualities of High-Quality Palladium on Carbon Catalysts for Hydrogenolysis

Palladium-catalyzed hydrogenolysis is often the final step in challenging natural product total syntheses and a key step in industrial processes producing fine chemicals. Here, we demonstrate that there is wide variability in the efficiency of commercial sources of palladium on carbon (Pd/C) resulting in significant differences in selectivity, reaction times, and yields. We identified the physicochemical properties of efficient catalysts for hydrogenolysis: (1) small Pd/PdO particle size (2) homogeneous distribution of Pd/PdO on the carbon support, and (3) palladium oxidation state are good predictors of catalytic efficiency. Now chemists can identify and predict a catalyst's efficiency prior to the use of valuable synthetic material and time.

Automated summary

It has been demonstrated in this study that there is wide variability in the efficiency of commercial sources of palladium on carbon (Pd/C), leading to significant differences in selectivity, reaction times, and yields. The physicochemical properties of efficient catalysts for hydrogenolysis were identified as small particle size of Pd/PdO, homogeneous distribution of Pd/PdO on the carbon support, and the oxidation state of palladium, which are good predictors of catalytic efficiency. Chemists can now identify and predict a catalyst's efficiency prior to the use of valuable synthetic material and time.