Fabrication of Te@Pd Core–Shell Hybrids for Efficient C–C Coupling Reactions

Te@Pd core–shell hybrids were prepared in this study, in which a pine leaf-shaped microstructure was obtained through controlling the synthesis kinetics of single crystal Te. The as-prepared Te was subsequently utilized as the substrate for Pd coating. These core–shell particles were characterized with scanning and transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. When being applied as a catalyst in bromobenzene and phenylboronic acid reaction, 100% conversion of bromobenzene was achieved in less than 3 h, which was much shorter than that required by the reactions using graphene oxide supported Pd catalyst (4 h) or the commercial Pd/C catalyst (>6 h). The Te@Pd core–shell catalyst could be easily recovered from the reaction solution and be used repeatedly. The high catalytic activity of Te@Pd hybrids is attributed to their unique microstructure.