Generation of a silica skeleton inside of gel-type functional resins supporting catalytically active palladium nanoclusters

Supported Pd catalysts based on Pd0 nanoclusters that are homogeneously dispersed inside of organic–inorganic nanocomposites, are produced along two different synthetic routes. Pre-formed R/SiO2 composites (R: functional gel-type resin) are let to react with PdII in a suitable liquid medium to give R/SiO2/PdII materials that are readily transformed into three-components R/SiO2/Pd0 composites upon reduction with NaBH4. Alternatively, quite similar R/SiO2/Pd0 materials are obtained upon generating a silica skeleton inside of pre-formed R/Pd0 two-component composites. Two- and three-component composites are thoroughly characterized with various physico-chemical techniques.