Efficient electrocarboxylation of benzophenone on silver nanoparticles deposited boron doped diamond electrode

Nanostructured electrocatalysts for organic synthetic transformations

Organic chemists have made and are still making enormous efforts toward the development of novel green catalytic synthesis. The necessity arises from the imperative of safeguarding human health and the environment, while ensuring efficient and sustainable chemical production. Within this context, electrocatalysis provides a framework for the design of new organic reactions under mild conditions. Undoubtedly, nanostructured materials are under the spotlight as the most popular and in most cases efficient platforms for advanced organic electrosynthesis. This Minireview focuses on the recent developments in the use of nanostructured electrocatalysts, highlighting the correlation between their chemical structures and resulting catalytic abilities, and pointing to future perspectives for their application in cutting-edge areas.

Effect of different modification by gold nanoparticles on the electrochemical performance of screen-printed sensors with boron-doped diamond electrode

Screen-printed sensors with chemically deposited boron-doped diamond electrodes (BDDE) were modified with different types of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) according to a new original procedure. Physically and electrochemically deposited AuNPs had various sizes and also nanoporous character. They also differ in shape and density of surface coverage. The developed sensors were characterized using scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Their electrochemical properties were studied using cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectrometry of selected outer sphere ([Ru(NH3)6]Cl3) and inner sphere (K3[Fe(CN)6], dopamine) redox markers. The application possibilities of such novel screen-printed sensors with BDDE modified by AuNPs were verified in the analysis of the neurotransmitter dopamine. The best analytical performance was achieved using printed sensors modified with the smallest AuNPs. The achieved limit of detection values in nanomolar concentrations (2.5 nmol L-1) are much lower than those of unmodified electrodes, which confirms the significant catalytic effects of gold nanoparticles on the surface of the working electrode. Sensors with the best electrochemical properties were successfully applied in the analysis of a model solution and spiked urine samples.

Ag x Cu y Ni z Trimetallic Alloy Catalysts for the Electrocatalytic Reduction of Benzyl Bromide in the Presence of Carbon Dioxide

Different compositions of trimetallic alloy containing silver, copper, and nickel (Ag x Cu y Ni z ) were electrodecorated in a protic ionic liquid medium on glassy carbon electrodes in order to investigate the suitability of the materials as catalysts for electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO2). Surface characteristic morphology obtained by scanning electron microscopy shows cauliflower crystallites for the deposit of Ag, whereas materials of Cu and Ni exhibit cubic grains and fine particles, respectively. Deposits of trimetallic alloy containing Ag, Cu, and Ni exhibit the mixture of the three characteristic features. Further, trimetallic alloy containing a large amount of Ag provides high crystallinity, whereas predominance of Cu as well as Ni results in porous structures, as revealed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Atomic absorption spectroscopy () was used to determine the compositions of different alloy materials. The suitability of nanomaterials as cathodes for electroreduction of benzyl bromide in CO2 containing 0.1 M tetra-n-butylammonium tetrafluoroborate (DMF/TBABF4)/N,N-dimethylformamide medium was explored. The linear sweep voltammogram reveals that Ag46Cu40Ni14 shows higher cathodic peak current and lower cathodic peak potential than those of other deposited nanomaterials as well as alloys, indicating its higher catalytic activity for such an electroreduction process, whereas potentiostatic electrolysis confirms the abovementioned results.