Boron Nitride Nanosheet-Anchored Pd–Fe Core–Shell Nanoparticles as Highly Efficient Catalysts for Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling Reactions

Boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were used to anchor bimetallic Pd–Fe nanoparticles for Suzuki–Miyaura coupling catalysts. The bimetallic nanoparticles were found to be core–shell in structure, and their formation was likely facilitated by their interactions with the BNNS. The Pd–Fe/BNNS catalysts were highly effective in representative Suzuki–Miyaura reactions, with performances matching or exceeding those of the state-of-the-art methods. Specifically, the superior catalytic activities were characterized by generally shortened reaction times, minimal Pd usage, excellent reusability of the catalysts and high or nearly quantitative conversion yields in a benign solvent system without the need for any special conditions, such as ligands and surfactants or inert gas protection. The obvious advantages of the Pd–Fe/BNNS over similar catalysts based on other supports, such as reduced graphene oxide (rGO), suggest that BNNS may be developed into a versatile platform for many other important catalytic reactions.