Graphene anchored palladium complex as efficient and recyclable catalyst in the Heck cross-coupling reaction

Advances in Graphene/Inorganic Nanoparticle Composites for Catalytic Applications

Graphene-based nanocomposites with inorganic (metal and metal oxide) nanoparticles leads to materials with high catalytic activity for a variety of chemical transformations. Graphene and its derivatives such as graphene oxide, highly reduced graphene oxide, or nitrogen-doped graphene are excellent support materials due to their high surface area, their extended π-system, and variable functionalities for effective chemical interactions to fabricate nanocomposites. The ability to fine-tune the surface composition for desired functionalities enhances the versatility of graphene-based nanocomposites in catalysis. This review summarizes the preparation of graphene/inorganic NPs based nanocomposites and their use in catalytic applications. We discuss the large-scale synthesis of graphene-based nanomaterials. We have also highlighted the interfacial electronic communication between graphene/inorganic nanoparticles and other factors resulting in increased catalytic efficiencies.

Bimetallic Cu-Rh Nanoparticles on Diazonium-Modified Carbon Powders for the Electrocatalytic Reduction of Nitrates

4-Benzenethiol-functionalized high-surface-area graphite powder was prepared and decorated with bimetallic Cu_100-xRh_x nanoparticles (NPs) to serve as electrocatalysts for the reduction of nitrates. In the first step, the HSAG powder was grafted with in-situ-generated diazonium compounds from 4-aminothiophenol (ATP) in an acidic medium using NaNO₂ for the diazotization process. The surface composition was tuned using different initial quantities of ATP. The surface XPS-determined S/C atomic ratio was found to increase stepwise with the initial quantity of amine. In a second step, the grafted and untreated HSAG powders were decorated with Cu_100-xRh_x NPs by a wet chemical method and the elemental composition of the end composites was assessed by EDS-SEM and ICP, whereas TEM and EDS-TEM served to characterize the NP morphology and their composition on the nanometer scale. In all cases, the NP size was invariably found to be ∼1.7 nm but with a size distribution becoming narrower under an increasing grafting rate and the global composition enriched in copper. Voltammetry was performed with a cavity microelectrode to evaluate the electrocatalytic performance of the composites for nitrate reduction. Increasing diazonium grafting led to a progressive reduction of the peak current intensity and a shift of the peak potentials toward cathodic values. The maximum intensity was obtained for 0.005 μmol of diazonium salt per mg of HSAG, with a gain of 40% in comparison to the best untreated sample. This improvement and a change in the voltammogram characteristics after grafting seem to result from modifications of the local composition at the level of NPs that differ from the global composition. This work conclusively shows that diazonium surface modification is important not only in attaching electrocatalytic NPs to carbon supports but also in providing a narrower size distribution of the electrocatalysts together with finely tuned catalytic properties.

An effective Pd nanocatalyst in aqueous media: stilbene synthesis by Mizoroki-Heck coupling reaction under microwave irradiation

Aqueous Mizoroki–Heck coupling reactions under microwave irradiation (MW) were carried out with a colloidal Pd nanocatalyst stabilized with poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). Many stilbenes and novel heterostilbenes were achieved in good to excellent yields starting from aryl bromides and different olefins. The reaction was carried out in a short reaction time and with low catalyst loading, leading to high turnover frequency (TOFs of the order of 100 h⁻¹). The advantages like operational simplicity, high robustness, efficiency and turnover frequency, the utilization of aqueous media and simple product work-up make this protocol a great option for stilbene syntheses by Mizoroki–Heck reaction.

Palladium(ii) tetrasulfophthalocyanine covalently immobilized on keratin protein grafted graphene oxide nanosheets as a new high-performance catalyst for C–C coupling reactions

Covalent immobilization of palladium(ii) tetrasulfophthalocyanine on keratin grafted graphene oxide nanosheets for catalytic application in C–C coupling reactions.