Carbocatalytic Activity of Graphene Oxide in Organic Synthesis

Abstract

Nanochemistry has evolved as an important part in catalysis for both academic as well as industrial research. Traditional homogeneous catalytic systems have gained significant importance due to the molecular level analysis of their catalytic activity and the excellent homogeneity of the catalysts and the reactants. However, removal of the catalysts from the reaction mixture without product contamination requires tedious purification steps. With increasing ecological and economical demands towards sustainable chemical synthesis, the recovery and reuse of catalysts has been an important factor. In this drive, various heterogeneous catalytic systems including mesoporous materials, solid catalysts, organometallics, noble-metal nanoparticles, etc. have been developed for photochemical and electrochemical conversion, environmental remediation as well as catalyst for important chemical transformations. Carbon nanomaterial specially graphene oxide and carbon dots have received significant research importance due to their large scale availability, easy surface modification, non-toxicity and other surface properties. Here, we review the continuous progress in the development of graphene based materials and their catalytic activity in organic synthesis.

Covalently Modified Graphene Oxide as Highly Fluorescent and Sustainable Carbonaceous Chemosensor for Selective Detection of Zirconium ion in Complete Aqueous Medium

“…Graphene oxide (GO), a 2D carbonaceous material, holds great potential in diverse contemporary research fields such as catalysis, 1 material fabrication, 2 cell imaging, 3 drug delivery, 4 energy storage, 5 and sensor applications. 6 The presence of a monolayer of carbon atoms packed like a honeycomb aromatic motif with the covalently attached oxygen functionalities project it as a suitable candidate for various photoluminescence (PL) applications.…”

Atomic-level investigation on the oxidation efficiency and corrosion resistance of lithium enhanced by the addition of two dimensional materials

“…Therefore, surface functional groups like epoxy (–C–O–C–), hydroxyl (–OH), and carboxyl (–COOH) make GO an excellent candidate for coordinating Li and O 2 molecules; additionally, GO serves as an effective anchoring site for immobilizing various catalytically active species. 27,28,69 Indeed, the surface of GO is decorated with at least five distinct O-containing functional groups, namely carboxyl (–COOH), hydroxyl (–OH), carbonyl (–CO), epoxy (–C–O–C–), and ketone (–CO). 27,69 These oxygenated groups endow four types of catalytic activity to GO such as (1) their acidic characteristics facilitate acid-catalyzed reaction; (2) their intermediary state interacts with oxidants, assisting in the acceleration of oxidation reactions; (3) their nucleophilic behavior facilitates binding reactions; and (4) their ideal π-conjugated form with significant deformities can stimulate a variety of catalytic activities.…”

“…27,28,69 Indeed, the surface of GO is decorated with at least five distinct O-containing functional groups, namely carboxyl (–COOH), hydroxyl (–OH), carbonyl (–CO), epoxy (–C–O–C–), and ketone (–CO). 27,69 These oxygenated groups endow four types of catalytic activity to GO such as (1) their acidic characteristics facilitate acid-catalyzed reaction; (2) their intermediary state interacts with oxidants, assisting in the acceleration of oxidation reactions; (3) their nucleophilic behavior facilitates binding reactions; and (4) their ideal π-conjugated form with significant deformities can stimulate a variety of catalytic activities. 27,69 Both the existence of O- containing functional groups on the GO surface and the π–π* network resulted in improved catalytic activity.…”

“…27,69 These oxygenated groups endow four types of catalytic activity to GO such as (1) their acidic characteristics facilitate acid-catalyzed reaction; (2) their intermediary state interacts with oxidants, assisting in the acceleration of oxidation reactions; (3) their nucleophilic behavior facilitates binding reactions; and (4) their ideal π-conjugated form with significant deformities can stimulate a variety of catalytic activities. 27,69 Both the existence of O- containing functional groups on the GO surface and the π–π* network resulted in improved catalytic activity. 27 The existence of the π–π* network on the Gr surface facilitated the adsorption of substrate molecules onto the catalyst surface, and the O 2 functional groups stimulated the reaction.…”

Recent advances in the catalytic applications of GO/rGO for green organic synthesis

“…It is demonstrated that graphene's structural features can provide a broad range of conversion and selectivity by tailoring the surface morphology and functionalities [83]. In this sense, several review articles and accounts have been published on carbocatalytic activity of graphene [34,85,180]. Such eco-friendly approaches built by researchers opened the door to more studies focused on GO as a metal-free catalyst for sustainable organic synthesis.…”