Green synthesis of palladium nanoparticles mediated by black tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) extract: Catalytic activity in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol and Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction under ligand-free conditions

Abstract

The present study was conducted to synthesize palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) through a facile and green route using non-toxic and renewable natural black tea leaves (Camellia sinensis) extract, as the reducing and stabilizing agent. The as-prepared Pd@B.tea NPs catalyst was characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The Pd@B.tea NPs catalyst could be used as an efficient and heterogeneous catalyst for Suzuki coupling reactions between phenylboronic acid and a range of aryl halides (X=I, Br, Cl) and also the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) using sodium borohydride in an environmental friendly medium. Excellent yields of products were obtained with a wide range of substrates and the catalyst was recycled 7 times without any significant loss of its catalytic activity.