Pd nanocatalyst adorning coral reef nanocomposite for the synthesis of nitriles: Utility of cucurbita pepo leaf extract as a stabilizing and reducing agent

Abstract

A simple procedure for the palladium-catalyzed cyanation of aryl halides is described via a nucleophilic non-toxic cyanide source, K 4 [Fe(CN) 6 ] in the presence of Pd/coral reef nanocomposite as a heterogeneous catalyst; the protocol provides a useful and easy method for the synthesis of aryl nitriles that are generated from the corresponding variant aryl halides, with sodium carbonate as a base. The nanocatalyst was prepared by a biological process using aqueous extract of leaves of Cucurbita pepo as a stabilizing and reducing agent and coral reef as a natural support, without deploying any hazardous chemicals. The catalyst, that is easily separable from the reaction mixture and reused multiple times, was characterized by FT-IR (Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy), ICP-AES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray Diffraction), TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy), FE-SEM (Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy), EDS (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) and elemental mapping.