Graphene from Alginate Pyrolysis as a Metal-Free Catalyst for Hydrogenation of Nitro Compounds

Mihaela-Mirela Trandafir; Mihaela Florea; Florentina Neaţu; Ana Primo; Vasile I Parvulescu; Hermenegildo García

doi:10.1002/cssc.201600197

Graphene from Alginate Pyrolysis as a Metal-Free Catalyst for Hydrogenation of Nitro Compounds

ChemSusChem. 2016 Jul 7;9(13):1565-9. doi: 10.1002/cssc.201600197. Epub 2016 Jun 1.

Authors

Mihaela-Mirela Trandafir¹, Mihaela Florea¹, Florentina Neaţu¹, Ana Primo², Vasile I Parvulescu³, Hermenegildo García⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, University of Bucharest, B-dul Regina Elisabeta 4-12, Bucharest, Romania.
² Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain.
³ Department of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, University of Bucharest, B-dul Regina Elisabeta 4-12, Bucharest, Romania. [email protected].
⁴ Instituto Universitario de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politécnica de Valencia, Av. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022, Valencia, Spain. [email protected].

PMID: 27246529
DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201600197

Abstract

Graphene obtained by pyrolysis of alginate at 900 °C under inert atmosphere and exfoliation is used as a metal-free catalyst for reduction of nitro to amino groups with hydrogen as a reagent. The process is general for aromatic and aliphatic, conjugated and isolated nitro groups, and occurs with low selectivity over hydrogenation of carbon-carbon double bonds.

Keywords: alginate; carbocatalysis; graphene; hydrogenation; metal-free catalyst.

MeSH terms

Alginates / chemistry*
Catalysis
Glucuronic Acid / chemistry
Graphite / chemistry*
Hexuronic Acids / chemistry
Hydrogenation
Nitro Compounds / chemistry*

Substances

Alginates
Hexuronic Acids
Nitro Compounds
Graphite
Glucuronic Acid