We synthesized Ag, Pd, Pt, and Ru nanoparticles by employing antioxidants in the natural reductants, i.e., green tea leaf, coffee, peppermint leaf, and grape seeds. The results from the characterization with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show metal nanoparticles with different shapes. The catalytic testing in the hydrogenation of α-methylstyrene (AMS) shows very high activity of the produced Pt nanodendrites. This excellent activity is due to the anisotropic structure of Pt nanodendrites which provides many defects, kinks, steps, and edges, thus providing a high number of active sites. In a challenging reaction such as the hydrogenation of levulinic acid, which is normally carried out at high temperature (100−240 °C) and high pressure (50−100 bar), the produced Pt nanodendrites are already active at much lower reaction conditions (1.3 bar and 70 °C), with an overall performance of about 100% of γ-valerolactone (GVL) selectivity and 94% conversion in 5 h.
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