Ultrafine Pd nanoparticles encapsulated in MIL-101(Cr) exhibit high dispersion and electronic confinement, enabling efficient and selective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated FAMEs to mono-unsaturated C18:1 under mild conditions. The 0.8Pd/MIL-101(Cr) catalyst achieves >90% selectivity and high TOF (∼9700 h⁻¹), highlighting the potential of MOF-based systems for sustainable bio-feedstock upgrading.

Abstract

Palladium nanoparticles (Pd NPs) were successfully encapsulated within the porous framework of MIL-101(Cr) via a double solvent method to produce highly dispersed and stable catalysts for the chemoselective hydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). Pd loadings ranging from 0.5 to 1.5 wt.% were systematically studied to elucidate the effects of nanoparticle size, dispersion, and hydrogen activation behavior on catalytic performance. The 0.8Pd/MIL-101(Cr) catalyst exhibited the highest turnover frequency (TOF ∼9,700 h⁻¹) and superior selectivity (>90%) toward monounsaturated products (C18:1), attributed to optimal Pd dispersion. In contrast, the 0.5Pd/MIL-101(Cr) showed an induction period under low H₂ partial pressure, indicating limitations in hydride accommodation, while the 1.5Pd/MIL-101(Cr) suffered from Pd aggregation, resulting in a reduced intrinsic activity. Product selectivity was primarily governed by overall conversion: C18:1 was favored at low conversions, whereas C18:0 formation increased at higher conversions due to secondary hydrogenation. The catalysts demonstrated excellent stability and recyclability over multiple cycles without detectable Pd leaching or structural degradation. These findings establish MIL-101(Cr) as a robust and tunable platform for dispersing Pd NPs and highlight the potential of Pd/MIL-101(Cr) catalysts for efficient, selective upgrading of bioderived feedstocks under mild reaction conditions.