Room Temperature Reduction of Nitroaromatics Using Pd Nanoparticles Stabilized on Nano‐CeO2

Abstract

AbstractPalladium nanoparticles stabilized on mesoporous cerium oxide nanoparticles catalyze the reduction of substituted nitroaromatics in presence of sodium borohydride as reductant. A modified two‐step methodology was developed for the synthesis of Pd/CeO2 nanoparticles. First the support CeO2 was synthesized by conventional precipitation method using ammonium oxalate as precipitant and Pd/CeO2 nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal treatment. The nanoparticles exhibit excellent catalytic activity and chemoselectivity for the reduction of nitroaromatics towards corresponding amine derivatives at room temperature. A kinetic study suggests that the reaction follows pseudo‐first order rate equation. Thus, synthesized catalyst represents significant role for the reduction of nitroaromatic compounds to value added amino compounds.