Customizing the Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Nanodots by Using Quinones in Bottom‐Up Synthesis

Abstract

We show how the redox potentials of carbon nanodots (CNDs) can be modulated by employing quinones as electroactive precursors during a microwave-assisted synthesis. We prepared and characterized a redox library of CNDs, demonstrating that this approach can promote the use of carbon nanodots for ad hoc applications, including photocatalysis.

Carbon Dots Assisted Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles and Their Catalytic Activity in 4‐Nitrophenol Reduction

“…With such a promising advantages, CDs have widely used in the research arena of biolabeling, optical sensing and bioimaging . Further, CDs have also been used in optoelectrical devices and as photocatalyst . Since CDs are excellent electron acceptors and electron donors, they could be promising oxidizing and reducing agents .…”

Use of Nitrogen‐Doped Carbon Nanodots for the Photocatalytic Fluoroalkylation of Organic Compounds

“…Moreover, CNDs may be effectively synthesized from a large variety of substrates by using different preparation approaches . In this regard, it is important to emphasize that the photophysical properties of CNDs, along with their structure and composition, can successfully be designed and tuned through the appropriate choice of starting materials and production procedure . However, despite their unique physical and chemical features, the use of CNDs has found very few applications in synthetic photochemistry at present …”

“…A solution of NCNDs in dimethylformamide (0.1 mg mL −1 ) appears slightly yellow in daylight and can absorb light up to λ =500 nm (blue line in Figure a). It was demonstrated that a NCND, upon light absorption, can directly reach an electronically excited state (NCND*) to become a strong reductant, as implied by its reduction potential, which was estimated to be about −2.2 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode, SCE) . Thus, we figured out that NCND* could trigger the formation of reactive radicals through a single‐electron transfer (SET) reduction of easily reducible alkyl halides .…”

“…[23,24] In this regard, it is importantt oe mphasize that the photophysical properties of CNDs, along with their structure and composition, can successfully be designed and tuned through the appropriate choice of starting materials and production procedure. [25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] However,d espite their unique physicala nd chemical features, the use of CNDsh as found very few applications in synthetic photochemistry at present. [19,34] In 2016, our group reported as imple bottom-up methodo f producing amine-rich N-doped CNDs (NCNDs)b ym icrowaveassisted hydrothermal synthesis from arginine (Arg) and ethylenediamine (EDA, Figure1).…”

“…It was demonstrated that a NCND, upon light absorption, can directly reach an electronically excited state (NCND*) to become as trong reductant, as implied by its reduction potential, which was estimated to be about À2.2 V( vs. saturated calomel electrode, SCE). [1,3,29,37] Thus, we figured out that NCND* could trigger the formation of reactive radicals throughas ingle-electron transfer (SET) reductiono fe asily reducible alkyl halides. [38] This green strategy might allow access to relevant radical reactivities under very mild operative conditions.…”