Hydrogenation catalysts based on palladium complexes with poly(vinylpyridine)

The conditions for the preparation of catalysts based on the interaction of PdCl₂ with poly(vinylpyridine) were studied. The activity of polymer-metal complexes in hydrogenation can be considerably changed by variation in temperature, initial ratio of PdCl₂ and polymer in solution, and contact time of the resulting complexes with the initial solution. The complex, prepared at 25°C from ethanolic solutions of poly(2-vinylpyridine) and PdCl₂ (molar ratio polymer: Pd = 1:1), and kept in the initial solution for 3 days, was found to be an active catalyst for hydrogenation. The reduction of this complex with NaBH₄ leads to an increase in its catalytic activity.