The first mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) supported atomically precise palladium nanoclusters catalyzed alcohol oxidation reactions in water have been achieved. The catalysts was synthesized with simple impregnation method and well characterized by TEM, FT-IR, XPS anddiffuse reflectance optical spectrum and the results proved that the Pd nanoclustersimmobilized into the pores of MSNs.The as-prepared catalyst show excellent activity for the alcohol oxidation reactions with high yield under extremely mild aqueous conditions utilizes 1 atmosphere of molecular oxygen as sole oxidant. The features of clean system, gram-scale oxidation and easy recovery catalyst make this method cost effectively and environmentally benign.


Taiping Gao, Xiaolin Ma, Xin Li, Qiang Xu and Yubao Wang