Use of Pd complex bearing 2-(thiophen-2-yl)1H-benzimidazole ligand as catalyst in reduction / degradation of multiple mixtures containing 4-NP, RhB and MB organic pollutants

In this study, 2-(thiophen-2-yl)1H-benzimidazole ligand (L1) and its Pd(II) complex (C1) were synthesized and characterized by FT-IR, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, ESI-MS spectroscopic techniques. The catalytic efficiency of the C1 complex on the reduction of 4-nitro phenol compound (4-NP) and the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB), methylene blue (MB) dyes was investigated in the presence of NaBH4 in aqueous medium. The catalytic performance was examined with single solutions of these substrates (4-NP and RhB, MB dyes) and at the end of 5 minutes, over 92% conversion was observed for all three substrates. In the catalytic trials with 4-NP + RhB + MB triple substrate mixture, 84, 94 and 93% conversion values were obtained, respectively, after 5 minutes. C1 complex catalyst is very effective in the simultaneous reduction / degradation of these toxic organic compounds from aqueous environments without any competition or selectivity.