Palladium containing nanostructured silica functionalized with pyridine sites: a versatile heterogeneous catalyst for Heck, Sonogashira, and cyanation reactions

Nanostructured hybrid silica bearing pyridine binding sites was prepared in a template assisted hydrolysis-polycondensation of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and the ionic precursor N, N- dimethyl- pyridin-4-yl-(3-triethoxysilyl-propyl)-ammonium iodide using N-dodecyl-N'- methyl-imidazolium bromide as structure directing agent. After treatment with palladium acetate, the material appeared as a versatile heterogeneous catalyst for Heck, Sonogashira, and cyanation reactions. In Heck and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions, unchanged catalytic activity was observed in at least five reaction cycles. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.