Hydrazine assisted catalytic hydrogenation of PNP to PAP by NixPd100−x nanocatalyst

The present study demonstrates the catalytic reduction of PNP to PAP by N2H4 in the presence of our room temperature synthesized Ni–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles (BMNPs) in aqueous alkaline solution. NixPd100−x BMNPs of different compositions were synthesized by co-reduction of hydroxides of Pd2+ and Ni2+ in the presence of PVP at 298 K. The bimetallic structure of the NixPd100−x nanoparticles is confirmed by XRD, TEM, TEM-EDS, HRTEM, SAED and XPS studies. Among the various compositions Ni70Pd30 shows maximum efficiency towards the catalytic reduction of PNP to PAP in the presence of hydrous hydrazine. Detailed kinetics analysis at room temperature revealed that the reduction follows the Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism where PNP reduction occurred through intermolecular electron transfer between N2H4 and PNP when both were adsorbed on the catalytic site. The catalyst remains active at the end of the reaction and can be recycled.