Three Pd-decavanadates with a controllable molar ratio of Pd to decavanadate and their heterogeneous aerobic oxidation of benzylic C–H bonds

By the combination of Pd-complexes and [V10O28]6−, three Pd-decavanadate compounds [Pd(NH3)4]3[V10O28]·8H2O (1), [Pd(deta)(H2O)]2(NH4)2[V10O28]·2H2O (2) (deta = diethylenetriamine) and [Pd(dpa)2](Hdpa)2(Et3NH)2[V10O28]·2H2O (3) (dpa = 2,2′-dipyridylamine) have been successfully synthesized and thoroughly characterized using single X-ray diffraction (SXRD), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and elemental analyses (EA). Interestingly, in the three compounds, the molar ratios of Pd to decavanadate vary from 3 : 1 to 1 : 1 by changing N-ligands. The three Pd-decavanadates as heterogeneous catalysts are active in the aerobic oxidation of benzylic hydrocarbons under solvent-free conditions without adding any additives and co-catalysts. Moreover, compound 1 can be reused three times without losing its activity.