NHC-Pd Complex Heterogenized on Graphene Oxide for Cross-Coupling Reactions and Supercapacitor Applications

Abstract

N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-palladium(II) complex (GO@NHC-Pd) was synthesized on graphene oxide (GO) support via a simple and cost-effective multistep approach. The spectroscopic, microscopic, thermal, and surface analyses of GO@NHC-Pd confirmed the successful formation of the catalyst. The investigation of catalytic activity showed that GO@NHC-Pd was very effective in Suzuki-Miyaura as well as Hiyama cross-coupling. Being heterogeneous in nature, GO@NHC-Pd was recovered after each reaction cycle easily and reused for up to nine and six cycles in Suzuki-Miyaura and Hiyama cross-coupling, respectively, without significant loss of activity. Further exploration of the supercapacitor performance of GO@NHC-Pd catalyst assembled in a two-electrode cell configuration shown a maximum attained capacitance of 105.26 F/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g with good cycling stability of 96.89% over 2,500 cycles.