Specific Inhibition of the Hydrogenolysis of Benzylic C−O Bonds Using Palladium Nanoparticles Supported on Nitrogen-Doped Carbon Nanofibers

Palladium nanoparticles supported on 5 %-nitrogen-doped, herringbone-type carbon nanofibers (Pd/N-CNF-H), which are prepared by thermally decomposing [Pd₂(dba)₃⋅CHCl₃] (dba=dibenzylideneacetone) in toluene in the presence of N-CNF-H, were found to be an efficient catalyst for the chemoselective hydrogenation of alkenyl and nitro moieties in benzyl-protected alcohols and carboxylic acid derivatives with high turnover frequencies: the hydrogenation reactions of these functional groups proceeded smoothly even at ambient temperature under atmospheric H₂ pressure, and the benzyl protecting groups in the molecules remained intact. Moreover, the recovered Pd/N-CNF-H catalyst could be reused without loss of its catalytic activity or chemoselectivity. The Pd/N-CNF-H catalyst also acted as an effective hydrogenation catalyst for the reduction of aromatic ketones to the corresponding benzyl alcohol derivatives with good to high product selectivity.