Efficient electrocatalytic alkyne Semi-Hydrogenation and deuteration using Pd/PANI catalysts supported on nickel foam

In this study, we synthesized Pd/PANI catalysts anchored on nickel foam (NF) via a single-step CV electrodeposition process. The resulting Pd0.3/PANI-NF materials exhibited outstanding selectivity and activity for electrocatalytic alkyne semi-hydrogenation and deuteration under ambient conditions. Characterization of Pd/PANI and control experiment revealed that the combination of PANI and Pd had a synergistic effect on the catalytic performance of Pd/PANI-NF for alkyne semi-hydrogenation. Optimized conditions in H-cells allowed efficient conversion of various terminal and internal alkynes into their corresponding alkenes with remarkable yields up to 92 % and a Faradaic efficiency of 88 %, even at low Pd loading (0.4 mol%). The Pd0.3/PANI-NF showed sustained catalytic activity for gram-scale alkene synthesis through five usage cycles under continuous flow conditions, marked by a high TOF (up to 230 h−1) and combined TONs of 2151, establishing its practical viability for electrocatalytic hydrogenation.