Chitosan-functionalized poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) bead as a novel biosupport for palladium in the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction

The utilization of environmentally friendly biopolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) as a support for metal catalysts is an unexplored area. Herein, exploring a stable and recyclable heterogeneous palladium (Pd) catalyst based on PHB for the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction is an attractive topic. In this study, a novel hydrophobic and hydrophilic core-shell bead supported Pd catalyst was developed by using PHB particle as a hydrophobic rigid framework and hydrophilic chitosan (CS) as the surface of the supporting matrix to fix Pd nanoparticles (NPs). The results of structural characterization showed that the Pd NPs with a small average size of 2.3±0.82 nm were uniformly distributed on the surface of the PHB-CS bead with a Pd content of 0.12 wt%. This demonstrated that the PHB-CS bead created a stable coordinated environment for Pd fixation, preventing Pd leaching. Furthermore, the Pd@PHB-CS catalyst exhibited high catalytic efficiency with 99% conversion in the Suzuki reaction under mild conditions, using a solvent mixture of EtOH and H2O (1:1) for 0.5 h. It is worth noting that the catalyst exhibits excellent stability, and reusability. It can be reused five times without a significant reduction in activity while maintaining its structural integrity. The successful construction of Pd@PHB-CS will further expand the application of PHB in the field of metal catalysts and may help establish a green and environmentally friendly multifunctional platform for the development of highly recyclable heterogeneous catalysts containing metal nanoparticles.