SYNTHESIS, CHARACTERIZATION AND CATALYTIC ACTIVITY OF STYRENE-DIVINYLBENZENE COPOLYMER (XAD-2) BOUND PALLADIUM(II) COMPLEX

Polymer-anchored Pd(II) complex catalyst was synthesised by sequential attachment of 1,2-diaminopropane as a ligand to the chloromethylated commercially available styrene-divinylbenzene copolymer (XAD-2). The catalyst was characterised using techniques such as FTIR, SEM, EPR, and UV-VIS reflectance spectroscopy. Other physicochemical properties, such as bulk density, moisture content, swelling and surface area by the BET method at low temperature by nitrogen adsorption, were also studied. The catalyst was tested for the rate of hydrogenation of cyclohexene. The influence of various factors such as temperature, concentration of catalyst, substrate, and quantity of solvent have been determined. The results are compared with the homogeneous analogue. The recycling efficiency of the catalyst was also studied.