Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Pd/C

Templar - 28-8-2014 at 18:17

Hello,

I was wanting to know if there are any definitive tests to verify if a 5% reduced Pd on carbon catalyst is active? I received some at a reasonable price but it did not seem to function well in a K formate/alcohol CTH reduction for a nitroethane.

Could I mix a small amount with a solvent and see if it gets warm? I have washed it with NaOH soln and then water.

It did not seem to react with formic acid.

plante1999 - 29-8-2014 at 02:03

Test it by putting some in peroxide.

Dr.Bob - 29-8-2014 at 10:50

Mix some with methanol without an inert atmosphere and see if it catches fire....

If you have any simple nitroaromatic, like nitrobenzene, it will reduce easily and the color change should be easy to see, plus it will be easy to see a change in TCL or any test for amines. If you cannot reduce that, then you are wasting your time on any other chemistry.

Bob

AvBaeyer - 29-8-2014 at 18:45

Why did you wash it with NaOH? I have never known Pd-C catalysts to need such treatment.

AvB