A polyoxometalate-based PdII-coordinated ionic solid catalyst for heterogeneous aerobic oxidation of benzene to biphenyl

An ionic solid catalyst by pairing Keggin polyoxometalate-anions with Pd(II)-coordinated nitrile-tethered ionic liquid cations was synthesized, characterized, and tested for aerobic oxidation of benzene to biphenyl. A unique heterogeneous intramolecular electron transfer mechanism is proposed to understand its high activity.