▎ 摘　　要

An improved reduced graphene oxide supported bimetallic palladium and gold catalyst was synthesized for the carbon-hydrogen bond activation of un-activated aromatic organic substrate benzene. XPS analysis has revealed that catalyst contained Au(0) nanoparticles with Pd(II) ions on its surface. The surface of rGO was found to be rich in sp(2) carbon content with >C=O groups that most probably provided supporting sites for the gold and palladium metals. The XRD analysis further confirmed that Au(0) nanoparticles with palladium oxide and palladium nanoparticles were present on rGO surface. The catalytic activity of the material was tested towards activation of benzene to form biphenyl as an end product. Density function theory has revealed that Pd(II) ion was the active component that insert itself in between C-H bond of benzene and showed efficiency to interact with oxygen molecules. Simultaneously, Au(0) atoms have the tendency to adsorb on the pi-bonded surface of the catalyst and extend its conjugation that reduced the HOMO-LUMO gap of the catalyst and provided the good catalytic activity.