No abstract

Even though many functionalization methodologies for covalent modification of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been proposed, mild but effective approaches are still needed. Here we describe the epoxidation of multi‐walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with dioxirane for an environmentally friendly oxidation process with an organocatalyst. Thank to the choice of dioxiranes (accessible and easy to handle and to store), multiple oxidation cycles could be performed on the same sample, thus allowing for a final improvement in the degree of oxidation at the CNT sidewall. The obtained derivatives were then used as electrophilic platforms for successive modification with an amine, with a high degree of functionalization (about 750 μmol g–1 from TGA analysis) being obtained.

In the last 20sh years the Carbon Nanostructures’ family grew and attract the attention of many researchers working in different fields. Many efforts in the studies of functionalization have been done, especially struggling with the necessity of an easy way to manipulate these structures. Solubility and orthogonal multiple functionalization are the main goals to be achieved when these materials have to be used for biological applications, as oligonucleotides vector, potential antiviral derivatives, or gene expression modulators. In this communication, an overview of the recent achievements will be presented. Figure 1