Screening of the catalytic activity of pd0 and pd2+- supported on chitosan beads and cryogels

Here, we report the results of screening of the catalytic activity of Pd-containing chitosan beads and cryogels in the cross-coupling reaction, hydrogenation of alkenes, nitro-, and carbonyl compounds and the hydrodechlorination of chlorophenols. Pd0-containing chitosan beads and cryogels show moderate catalytic activity in the reduction of alkenes and nitroaromatics. The conversion of nitroaromatics decreases for substrates with electron-withdrawing substituents, while the conversion of alkenes increases with the activation of carbon-carbon double bonds. For several substrates, a significant difference in kinetics and conversion degrees was observed for Pd nanoparticles supported on chitosan beads and cryogels. It was found that conversion in the hydrodechlorination reaction depends on substrate structure, being higher for substrates containing substituents with a positive mesomeric effect. Pd2+-chitosan catalysts showed high catalytic activity in cross-coupling (Heck reaction) offering the following advantages over known catalytic systems: lower reaction temperature, the selective functionalisation of C-I bonds, and the possibility to perform reactions with iodobenzene without base addition