Fluorapatite‐Supported Palladium Catalyst for the Synthesis of Alkenyl Nitriles

Abstract Fluorapatite‐supported palladium catalyzed C=C bond cleavage of α, β‐unsaturated ketones to alkenyl nitriles is presented. The reaction was performed with different basic catalysts, such as hydroxyapatite (HAP), fluorapatite (FAP), tert‐butoxyapatite (TBAP), and Mg−Al−HT derived oxide. Later, fluorapatite‐supported palladium (PdFAP) catalyst was prepared by treatment of fluorapatite with bis(benzonitrile) palladium(II) chloride. PdFAP catalyst was characterized by XRD, TEM, BET, CHN analysis, ICP‐AES and FTIR. The average particle size of the palladium particles in the PdFAP catalyst was found in the range of 35–45 nm. The reaction to synthesize cinnamonitrile from cinnamoyl pyrrole and acetonitrile was optimized at 383 K for 6 h using a toluene‐cyclohexane solvent system with 95% conversion and 90% selectivity. A kinetic model was also developed. The catalyst was recovered and reused for three cycles.