Low-crystalline PdCu alloy on large-area ultrathin 2D carbon nitride nanosheets for efficient photocatalytic Suzuki coupling

We develop a new PdCu/UTCN hybrid by loading low-crystalline PdCu NPs on large-area ultrathin 2D carbon nitride (UTCN) nanosheets that exfoliated from bulk g-C3N4 using a twice thermal exfoliation and repolymerization method for photocatalytic Suzuki C-C cross coupling reaction. Due to the advantages of 2D structure of the UTCN and the changes in electronic structure and surface structure of low-crystalline PdCu NPs, PdCu/UTCN shows promoted photocatalytic activity with high selectivity for Suzuki coupling reaction. The TOF value for coupling of iodobenzene with phenylboronic acid is 418.2 h-1, which is 8 and 6.2 times higher than that of previously reported Pd-g-C3N4 and Pd based alloy photocatalysts under the same reaction, respectively. Morevoer, this photocatalyst shows a good functional group tolerance as well as good to excellent yield and selectivity for various substrates. This study reports for the first time the PdCu alloy supported UTCN photocatalytic material for enhanced Suzuki reaction.

Automated summary

A new PdCu/UTCN hybrid has been developed for enhanced Suzuki reaction, showing promoted photocatalytic activity with high selectivity. The photocatalyst demonstrates good functional group tolerance and excellent yield and selectivity for various substrates.