LAUSR

Abstract Pd0 nanoparticles (NPs) have been fabricated on SBA-15 using a facile, rapid and highly reproducible microwave-assisted reduction by solvent method. The as-synthesized Pd@SBA-15 nanocomposite was well characterized using low angle and wide angle XRD, TEM, FE-SEM, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, FTIR, XPS etc. The Pd@SBA-15 nanocomposite act as an active, recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for semihydrogenation of phenylacetylene under solvent-free mild reaction conditions (303 K, atmospheric H2). A maximum of 94.4% phenylacetylene conversion was achieved with very high selectivity for styrene (95.5%). Moreover, the used catalyst was recovered by centrifugation and reused up to four times without significant loss in their catalytic activity. This optimized reaction protocol for phenylacetylene was also well performed in case of various other alkynes with similar or better performance.