Bimetallic Ru:Co Mesoporous Nanoparticles Stabilized by PEG and Imidazolium Ionic Liquid Based [KIT-6] as an Efficient Heterogeneous Catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura Cross-Couplings in H2O:EtOH Solution

Abstract

Bimetallic Ru:Co nanoparticles stabilized by PEG and imidazolium ionic liquid based [KIT-6] mesoporous silica, denoted as Ru:Co NPs@[KIT-6]-PEG&imid 6, has been synthetized by post grafting method and fully characterized by SEM, TEM, XPS, FT-IR and solid-state 13C and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. The supported Ru:Co mesoporous nanoparticles catalyst 6 revealed excellent catalytic activity (conversions up to 100%), turnover number (TON) of 770 and turnover frequency (TOF) of 7700 h−1 in the Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling of p-bromobenzonitrile and phenylboronic acid in H2O:EtOH (1:1) solution under very mild reaction conditions. In addition, the heterogeneous catalyst 6 maintains almost its inherent catalytic activity after the 6th catalytic recycle. Graphical Abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]