The role of immobilization supports for light-assisted Suzuki coupling reaction with low-loading Pd nanocatalyst

This work investigates the impact of immobilization supports on the performance of Pd nanocatalysts in light-induced Suzuki coupling reactions by utilizing two model supports, mesoporous silica (SBA-15) and covalent triazine framework (CTF-Ph). Despite comparable Pd loading (0.3–0.5 wt%) and chemical states, under visible light illumination, Pd/CTF-Ph demonstrated a remarkable 40% reduction in activation energy, outperforming the 16% decrease observed with Pd/SBA-15. This superior performance is attributed to the light-absorbing properties of CTF-Ph and its facilitated pi-pi interaction toward reagents on the catalyst surface. Our findings offer valuable insights into the development of effective catalysts for light-assisted C–C bond formation reactions.