Bimetallic AuNi nanoparticles supported on mesoporous MgO as catalyst for Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reaction

Gold catalysts have been reported to be applied only for the Sonogashira-Hagihara reaction of iodobenzene and phenylacetylene under harsh reaction conditions, while the scope of the reaction has not been expanded for coupling reaction of other aryl halides and alkynes. In this investigation, a cost-effective, Pd-free catalyst based on mesoporous magnesium oxide supported bimetallic AuNi nanoparticles (m-MgO@AuNi) have been synthesized by hydrothermal method and its efficiency has been demonstrated in Sonogashira-Hagihara cross-coupling reaction. The m-MgO@AuNi nanocatalyst was structurally and morphologically characterized using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and the mesoporous structure of MgO has been confirmed through BET analysis. Using this palladium-free catalyst, Sonogashira-Hagihara coupling reaction of aryl iodides and aryl bromides with alkynes have been successfully performed and catalyst was recycled for several times. The results demonstrate that the synergistic effect between Au, Ni and mesoporous MgO support plays key role in enhancement of m-MgO@AuNi catalytic activity in Sonogashira-Hagihara reaction. Iran National Science Foundation (INSF-Grant number of 99023403), Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (RED2018-102387-T, PID2019-107268GB-100), FEDER, the Generalitat Valenciana (IDIFEDER/2021/013), and the University of Alicante.