A remarkable anion effect on palladium nanoparticle formation and stabilization in hydroxyl-functionalized ionic liquids.

Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with a small size and narrow size distribution were prepared from the decomposition of Pd(OAc)(2) in a series of hydroxyl-functionalized ionic liquids (ILs) comprising the 1-(2'-hydroxylethyl)-3-methylimidazolium cation and various anions, viz. [C(2)OHmim][OTf] (2.4 ± 0.5 nm), [C(2)OHmim][TFA] (2.3 ± 0.4 nm), [C(2)OHmim][BF(4)] (3.3 ± 0.6 nm), [C(2)OHmim][PF(6)] (3.1 ± 0.7 nm) and [C(2)OHmim][Tf(2)N] (4.0 ± 0.6 nm). Compared with Pd NPs isolated from the non-functionalized IL, [C(4)mim][Tf(2)N] (6.2 ± 1.1 nm), it would appear that the hydroxyl group accelerates the formation of the NPs, and also helps to protect the NPs from oxidation once formed. Based on the amount of Pd(OAc)(2) that remains after NP synthesis (under the given conditions) the ease of formation of the Pd NPs in the [C(2)OHmim](+)-based ILs follows the trend [Tf(2)N](-), [PF(6)](-) > [BF(4)](-) > [OTf](-) > [TFA](-). Also, the ability of the [C(2)OHmim](+)-based ILs to prevent the Pd NPs from undergoing oxidation follows the trend [Tf(2)N](-) > [PF(6)](-) > [TFA](-) > [OTf](-) > [BF(4)](-). DFT calculations were employed to rationalize the interactions between Pd NPs and the [C(2)OHmim](+) cation and the various anions.