Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Graphene Oxide as Catalysts for the Synthesis of Diarylketones

Three palladium catalysts supported on graphene oxide (GO) and on its composite with TiO2 (GO-TiO2) were prepared and characterized. The presence of Pd NPs of different diameters (4–89 nm) and size distributions was evidenced by TEM measurements. GO-supported palladium efficiently catalysed the carbonylative coupling of iodobenzenes with aryl boronic acids forming relevant diarylketones at 1 atm CO. The highest activity and recyclability were obtained for Pd/GO-TiO2. The emission behaviour of Pd/GO and Pd/GO-TiO2 catalysts indicated structural changes occurring during the catalytic reaction.