Pt-Pd nanoalloy for the unprecedented activation of carbon-fluorine bond at low temperature

Abstract

Carbon-fluorine bonds are considered the most inert organic functionality and their selective transformation under mild conditions remains challenging. Herein, we report a highly active Pt-Pd nanoalloy as a robust catalyst for the transformation of C-F bonds into C-H bonds at low temperature, a reaction that has hitherto often required harsh conditions. The alloying of Pt with Pd is crucial to promote the overall C-F bond. DFT calculations elucidated that the key step is the selective oxidative addition of the O-H bond of 2-propanol to a Pd center prior to C-F bond activation at a Pt site, which crucially reduces the activation energy of the C-F bond cleavage. Therefore, both Pt and Pd work independently but synergistically to promote the overall reaction.