Metalorganic framework MIL-101 supported bimetallic PdCu nanocrystals as efficient catalysts for chromium reduction and conversion of carbon dioxide at room temperature

This paper reports a series of bimetallic PdCu nanocrystals (NCs) supported on the zeolite-type metalorganic framework MIL-101 to yield PdCu/MIL-101 nanocomposites using a double solvent method. The obtained composites, PdCu/MIL-101, are 5.511 nm in size and are supported on the surface of MIL-101. TEM images reveal that the loading of nanocrystals is uniform across the MIL-101. These represent highly active MOF-supported metal catalysts for the reduction of Cr( vi ) to Cr( iii ) using formic acid and the conversion of terminal alkynes into propiolic acids with CO 2 at room temperature. The catalytic activities toward the reduction of Cr( vi ) to Cr( iii ) and the conversion of terminal alkynes into propiolic acids, PdCu/MIL-101 nanocomposites showed better performance, by a factor of 35 times faster than PdCu nanocrystals. Being heterogeneous, the PdCu/MIL-101 nanocomposite catalysts are also easy to handle and separate from the reaction mixture, and can be recycled five times with no loss of activity. A series of bimetallic PdCu nanocrystals supported on the zeolite-type metalorganic framework MIL-101 and their application in the reduction of Cr( vi ) to Cr( iii ) using formic acid and the conversion of terminal alkynes into propiolic acids with CO 2 are reported.