High catalytic performance of palladium nanoparticles supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes on alkene hydrogenation

The synthesis of Pd nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the cataytic performance of the resulting material (PdNPs/MWCNTs) on hydrogenation reactions are presented. Facile preparation approaches based on the decomposition of Pd precursors in the presence of MWCNTs lead to homogeneous dispersions of supported Pd-NPs with average size of 4 nm and Pd loads about 12%. The catalytic performance of this material was evaluated in hydrogenation reactions of α,β-unsaturated ketones, alkenes, cyclic di-, triand tetraenes, aromatic compounds, terpenes and terpenoids, resulting in very high activity offering short reaction times, high conversion rates, notable selectivity, and acceptable recyclabitiliy under mild conditions.