Catalytic reduction of nitroarenes by palladium nanoparticles decorated silica@poly(chitosan-N-isopropylacrylamide-methacrylic acid) hybrid microgels.

ABSTRACT

Conversion of toxic nitroarenes into less toxic aryl amines, which are the most suitable precursors for different types of compounds, is done with various materials which are costly or take more time for this conversion. In this regards, a silica@poly(chitosan-N-isopropylacrylamide-methacrylic acid) Si@P(CS-NIPAM-MAA) Si@P(CNM) core-shell microgel system was synthesized through free radical precipitation polymerization (FRPP) and then fabricated with palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) by in situ-reduction method to form Si@Pd-P(CNM) and characterized with XRD, TEM, FTIR, SEM, and EDX. The catalytic efficiency of Si@Pd-P(CNM) hybrid microgels was studied for reduction of 4-nitroaniline (4NiA) under diverse conditions. Different nitroarenes were successfully transformed into their corresponding aryl amines with high yields using the Si@Pd-P(CNM) system as catalyst and NaBH4 as reductant. The Si@Pd-P(CNM) catalyst exhibited remarkable catalytic efficiency and recyclability as well as maintaining its catalytic effectiveness over multiple cycles.