High catalytic performance of palladium nanoparticles supported on multiwalled carbon nanotubes in alkene hydrogenation reactions

The synthesis of Pd nanoparticles (Pd-NPs) supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and the cataytic performance of the resulting material (Pd-NPs/MWCNTs) in hydrogenation reactions are presented. Facile preparation approaches based on the decomposition of Pd precursors in the presence of MWCNTs lead to homogeneous dispersions of supported Pd-NPs with an average size of 4 nm and Pd loads of about 12%. The catalytic performance of this material was evaluated in hydrogenation reactions of alpha,beta-unsaturated ketones, alkenes, cyclic di-, tri- and tetraenes, aromatic compounds, terpenes and terpenoids, resulting in very high activity offering short reaction times, high conversion rates, notable selectivity, and acceptable recyclability under mild conditions.