Concerted Catalysis of Pd and Au on Alloy Nanoparticles for Efficient Heterogeneous Molecular Transformations

Abstract The PdAu random alloy nanoparticle catalyst shows excellent catalytic activity for heterogeneous molecular formations, whereas monometallic Pd or Au catalysts were ineffective. The Pd/Au ratio in the alloy had a significant impact on its catalytic performance, and the catalyst with a low Pd concentration exhibited excellent activity. The concerted catalysis of Pd and Au adjacent on the alloy surface is responsible for the specific catalytic performance.