Double-Solvent Method to Pd Nanoclusters Encapsulated inside the Cavity of NH2–Uio-66(Zr) for Efficient Visible-Light-Promoted Suzuki Coupling Reaction

Active Pd nanoclusters smaller than 1.2 nm encapsulated inside the cage of NH2–Uio-66(Zr) (Pd@NH2–Uio-66(Zr)) were prepared via a double-solvent approach combined with a photoreduction process. The resultant Pd@NH2–Uio-66(Zr) showed excellent performance for Suzuki coupling reaction under visible-light irradiations as a result of the efficient electron transfer from the light-excited NH2–Uio-66(Zr) to the confined Pd nanoclusters and the presence of large amounts of catalytic active Pd species. The successful coupling of MOF-based photocatalysis with metal-based catalysis over metal@MOFs is expected to bring about vast opportunities for developing active catalysts for a variety of light-induced organic transformations attributed to the diversified MOF structures and their tunable characteristics.