Heterogeneous Pd-Catalysis in Confined Spaces: the Role of Soy-Protein Cryogels

The demand for more sustainable catalytic platforms has led to the development of bio-based materials as catalyst supports [1]. In the context of our research on biomass-derived materials [2-4], soy protein-derived cryogels were developed to provide a confined microenvironment able to promote the dispersion and stabilisation of transition metal atoms. In this study, palladium was successfully immobilised within the cryogel network. A library of substituted biphenyls was synthesised via Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reactions after optimization of the reaction conditions. The cryogel demonstrated excellent recyclability retaining its catalytic activity for up to 10 cycles. The use of mild conditions and high yields suggests that soy-protein cryogels are promising supports for heterogeneous palladium catalysis in cross-coupling chemistry, in line with the principles of green chemistry and the circular economy.