Pd(II)/Pd(0) anchored to magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) modified with biguanidine-chitosan polymer as a novel nanocatalyst for Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reactions.

This article is devoted to synthesis of a new magnetic interphase palladium catalyst that has been immobilized on chitosan-biguanidine coated-magnetic Fe3O4 nanoparticles [Pd(0/II)/CS-bigua@Fe3O4]. Such surface functionalization of magnetic particles is a promising method to bridge the gap between heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis approaches. The structure, morphology, and physicochemical properties of the particles were characterized through different analytical techniques, including Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), wavelength-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (WDX), inductively coupled plasma (ICP), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Pd(0/II)/CS-bigua@Fe3O4 demonstrated high catalytic activity as a recyclable nanocatalyst toward Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions, at room temperature. Furthermore, the catalyst could be recovered and reused several times with no significant palladium leaching or change in its activity.