In situ stabilization of Pd(0) nanoparticles into a mixture of natural carbohydrate beads: A novel and highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst system for Heck coupling reactions

A convenient, mild and cost-effective synthesis of palladium nanoparticles stabilized by a mixture of natural carbohydrate beads (gum arabic and pectin) as a new bio-organometallic catalyst is reported. Powder X-ray diffraction, transmission and scanning electron microscopies and energy-dispersive X-ray and UV-visible spectroscopies were employed to characterize this supported Pd nanoparticles/gum arabic/pectin catalyst. The nanocatalyst exhibited efficient activity in Mizoroki-Heck cross-coupling reactions between various aryl halides and n-butyl acrylate under solvent-free conditions. The catalyst can easily be recovered from the reaction system and reused several times with high yields. The products were obtained in short reaction times with excellent yields.