Catalytically active nanosized Pd9Te4 (telluropalladinite) and PdTe (kotulskite) alloys: first precursor-architecture controlled synthesis using palladium complexes of organotellurium compounds as single source precursors

Abstract

Several intermetallic binary phases of Pd–Te including Pd₃Te₂, PdTe, PdTe₂, Pd₉Te₄, Pd₃Te, Pd₂Te, Pd₂₀Te₇, Pd₈Te₃, Pd₇Te₂, Pd₇Te₃, Pd₄Te and Pd₁₇Te₄ are known, and negligible work (except few studies on PdTe) has been done on exploring applications of such phases and their fabrication at nanoscale. Hence, Pd(II) complexes Pd(L1)Cl₂ and Pd(L2-H)Cl (L1): Ph–Te–CH₂–CH₂–NH₂ and L2: HO–2-C₆H₄–CHN–CH₂CH₂–Te–Ph were synthesized. Under similar thermolytic conditions, complex Pd(L1)Cl₂ with bidentate coordination mode of ligand provided nanostructures of Pd₉Te₄ (telluropalladinite) whereas Pd(L2-H)Cl with tridentate coordination mode of ligand yielded PdTe (kotulskite). Bimetallic alloy nanostructures possess high catalytic potential for Suzuki coupling of aryl chlorides, and reduction of 4-nitrophenol. They are also recyclable upto six reaction cycles in Suzuki coupling.