On the Formation of Palladium (II) Iodide Nanoparticles: An In Situ SAXS/XAS Study and Catalytic Evaluation on an Aryl Alkenylation Reaction in Water Medium

Abstract The synthesis of small spherical palladium(II) iodide nanoparticles is reported for the first time. The formation of the particles by ligand exchange, in the presence of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) in aqueous medium at room temperature, was investigated by in situ time‐resolved synchrotron‐based SAXS and XANES/EXAFS analysis. These new nanomaterials exhibit a double catalytic role in an aryl alkenylation chemical reaction, working without a base or ligand, in aqueous milieu. There is strong experimental evidence to suggest that the mechanism follows a single‐electron transfer (SET) pathway with the participation of iodide as a radical promoter and the palladium atoms as activator of the alkene moiety. This new protocol could evolve into a broadly applicable radical reaction for the functionalization of alkenes.