Stabilization of palladium nanoparticles by polyoxometalates appended with alkylthiol tethers and their use as binary catalysts for liquid phase aerobic oxydehydrogenation

A polyoxometalate with two alkyl thiol appendages, Q(4)[SiW11O40(SiCH2CH2CH2SH)(2)] (Q= ammonium salt) stabilized the formation of palladium nanoparticles. This tethered polyoxometalate-palladium binary catalyst was effective for the aerobic oxydehydrogenation of vinylcyclohexene and vinylcyclohexane to styrene as the major product via activation of the allylic, tertiary carbon-hydrogen bond.