Stable, catalytically active palladium
nanoparticles of various
average diameters (1.9–7.4 nm) have been synthesized and characterized
by X-ray diffraction, spectroscopy, and microscopy techniques to demonstrate
remarkable size-dependent and renewed catalytic activity toward the
Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction in green protocol. The catalytic
activity is found to depend on the amount of the reducing agent, stabilizer–precursor
ratio, solvent composition, and aryl halides used. The product obtained
by this reaction is characterized by
1
H NMR,
13
C NMR, and IR spectroscopy analyses. A newly developed kinetic equation
illustrates that while the catalyst particles of the lowest dimension
are gradually exposed to the reactants and hence activated due to
partial removal of capping polymer from the catalyst surface, others
are deactivated due to agglomeration during the progress of the reaction,
as conformed by the microscopic profiles of the used and unused catalysts.