LAUSR

Abstract A palladium (II) complex immobilized onto nanosilica(Pd-imine@nanoSiO 2 ) has been developed and evaluated as a highly efficient, retrievable catalyst for carbon-carbon triple bond activation reactions between aryl halides and terminal alkynes. Nanosilica has been derived from rice husk by simple and eco-compatible methodology. The catalyst has been extensively characterized by techniques such as FT-IR, UV–vis, powder XRD, XPS, SEM-EDX, thermogravimetric analysis, BET surface area measurement. The catalyst can be reused for five consecutive runs without compromising much with the activity. Easy preparation, its long shelf life, air-stability, wide substrate scope, ‘in water’ reactions, easy separability and good recyclability make it an ideal system for Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction. Moreover, various alkyne substrates were efficiently cross-coupled with a broad range of aryl iodides and aryl bromides to afford diaryl alkynes, providing improved yields with low catalyst loading in water. This protocol is also suitable for aliphatic alkynes.