Sustainable catalysis using magnetic chicken feathers decorated with Pd(0) for Suzuki-cross coupling reaction

Magnetic nanoparticles (Fe3O4) coated with chicken feather (CF) were synthesized and subsequently grafted with palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) using in situ preparation approach. The synthesized catalyst showed excellent activity for Suzuki cross coupling reaction between aryl halides and phenylboronic acid. After completion of the reaction, the catalyst could conveniently be separated via magnetic separation. More importantly, the presence of amino and carboxyl groups on the surface due to chicken feather, provided sufficient binding sites for Pd NPs, and therefore make the synthesized material highly stable. No leaching was observed during the reaction as ascertained by ICP-AES analysis. Furthermore, the catalytic activity of this supported catalyst did not show any significant loss after being used for at least six times.