Temperature responsive copolymer as support for metal nanoparticle catalyst: A recyclable catalytic system

Abstract A recyclable catalytic system was developed by using a temperature responsive poly(acrylamide- co -acrylonitrile) (P(AAm- co -AN)) copolymer with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST). Palladium nanoparticles (NPs) immobilized on P(AAm- co -AN) copolymer were synthesized by the chemical reduction method using NaBH 4 . TEM characterizations showed the highly dispersed and small (~ 3 nm) Pd nanoparticles formed on the surface of the P(AAm- co -AN) copolymer. UV–Vis measurements indicated the increase of UCST of P(AAm- co -AN) from 30 to 35 °C after the deposition of Pd metal. P(AAm- co -AN) supported Pd catalyst showed high activity in allyl alcohol hydrogenation and facile separation and recovery via sharp solubility changes of catalyst by cooling below UCST.