Novel Pd-BTP/SiO₂ as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for Heck reactions

A highly efficient and reusable catalyst, palladium (II) complex supported on functionalized silica, was prepared by anchoring palladium (II) onto 2,6-bis(5,6-dimethyl-1,2,4-triazine-3-yl)pyridine [BTP]-modified mesoporous silica (labeled as Pd-BTP=SiO2). The catalyst was characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and Brunauer Emmett Teller (BET) analysis. Its catalytic performance was tested for the Heck coupling reactions between aryl halides with acrylic acid or styrene, and good to excellent results (higher conversions 87–96% and yields 66–78%) were obtained. The catalyst system was stable under the reaction conditions and could be successfully reused more than five times without the loss of catalytic activity.