Direct Mechanocatalysis with Pd Alloys

Abstract In this study, we assess the suitability of Pd alloys in direct mechanocatalytic coupling reactions. Copper (Cu) and nickel (Ni) were alloyed with palladium (Pd), alongside testing a high entropy alloy and palladium gold alloy. Compared to pure Pd balls the alloys are promising in terms of mechanical properties and costs. Combining Pd with Cu and Ni improved mechanical resilience by up to 330 % while retaining catalytic activity, for the tested Suzuki‐Miyaura and Sonogashira‐Hagihara couplings. Both of which led to good to excellent yields within one hour. Notably, alloys containing 20 % Pd showed increased yields of over 80 % in the Sonogashira coupling, comparable to pure Pd. XPS and in‐situ PXRD analysis showcased the influence of alloyed metals on catalytic processes, emphasizing the significance of the surface composition of milling balls.