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A special issue of Molecules (ISSN 1420-3049). This special issue belongs to the section "Inorganic Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 November 2019) | Viewed by 20251

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Manoj Gawande

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Guest Editor

Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai-Marathwada Campus Jalna, Maharashtra 431213, India
Interests: nanocatalysis; 2D cabon nanostructures; biomass; green synthesis; benign reaction technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Rajender S. Varma

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Guest Editor

1. Regional Centre of Advanced Technologies and Materials, Faculty of Science, Palacky University Olomouc, 783 71 Olomouc, Czech Republic
2. ORD National Risk Management Research Laboratory, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Cincinnati, OH 45268, USA
Interests: comprehensively broad research interests ranging from eco-friendly synthetic methods using mechanochemical mixing, photocatalysis, microwaves, ultrasound, etc.; to greener assembly of nanomaterials and sustainable appliances of magnetically retrievable nanocatalysts in benign media, preferably utilizing biomass-derived chemicals including biowaste and economic consumption of agricultural residues
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Catalysis is one of the longest-established uses for nanoparticles. Nanoparticles of metals, metal oxides, mixed metal oxides, and other compounds have been widely used for various important chemical reactions. This Special Issue aims to collect and disseminate some of the most significant and recent contributions in the following areas (although it is not limited to them):

Nanomaterial-based photocatalysis and biocatalysis
Nanocatalysts and nano-biocatalysts in the chemical industry
Nanocatalysis for carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom coupling reactions
Nanocatalysis for various organic transformations in fine chemical synthesis
Nanocatalysis for oxidation, hydrogenation, and other related reactions
Nanocatalysts for producing non-conventional energy such as hydrogen and biofuels

Prof. Dr. Manoj B. Gawande
Prof. Dr. Rajender S. Varma
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Molecules is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

heterogeneous catalysis
nanoparticles
nanotechnology
mechanism
core-shell nanocatalysts
supported catalysts
sustainable technilogies

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 3556 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Cross-Linked Cyclodextrins Bimetallic Nanocatalysts: Applications in Microwave-Assisted Reductive Aminations

by Emanuela Calcio Gaudino, Elisa Acciardo, Silvia Tabasso, Maela Manzoli, Giancarlo Cravotto and Rajender S. Varma

Molecules 2020, 25(2), 410; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules25020410 - 19 Jan 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3113

Abstract

The optimization of sustainable protocols for reductive amination has been a lingering challenge in green synthesis. In this context, a comparative study of different metal-loaded cross-linked cyclodextrins (CDs) were examined for the microwave (MW)-assisted reductive amination of aldehydes and ketones using either H₂ or formic acid as a hydrogen source. The Pd/Cu heterogeneous nanocatalyst based on Pd (II) and Cu (I) salts embedded in a β-CD network was the most efficient in terms of yield and selectivity attained. In addition, the polymeric cross-linking avoided metal leaching, thus enhancing the process sustainability; good yields were realized using benzylamine under H₂. These interesting findings were then applied to the MW-assisted one-pot synthesis of secondary amines via a tandem reductive amination of benzaldehyde with nitroaromatics under H₂ pressure. The formation of a Cu_xPd_y alloy under reaction conditions was discerned, and a synergic effect due to the cooperation between Cu and Pd has been hypothesized. During the reaction, the system worked as a bifunctional nanocatalyst wherein the Pd sites facilitate the reduction of nitro compounds, while the Cu species promote the subsequent imine hydrogenation affording structurally diverse secondary amines with high yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocatalysis)

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11 pages, 1632 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gum Kondagoagu/Reduced Graphene Oxide Framed Platinum Nanoparticles and Their Catalytic Role

by Abhilash Venkateshaiah, Daniele Silvestri, Rohith K. Ramakrishnan, Stanislaw Wacławek, Vinod V. T. Padil, Miroslav Černík and Rajender S. Varma

Molecules 2019, 24(20), 3643; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24203643 - 09 Oct 2019

Cited by 19 | Viewed by 3499

Abstract

This study investigates an environmentally benign approach to generate platinum nanoparticles (Pt NP) supported on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) by non-edible gum waste of gum kondagogu (GK). The reaction adheres to the green chemistry approach by using an aqueous medium and a nontoxic natural reductant—GK—whose abundant hydroxyl groups facilitate in the reduction process of platinum salt and helps as well in the homogenous distribution of ensued Pt NP on RGO sheets. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed the formation of kondagogu gum/reduced graphene oxide framed spherical platinum nanoparticles (RGO-Pt) with an average particle size of 3.3 ± 0.6 nm, as affirmed by Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). X-ray Diffraction (XRD) results indicated that the Pt NPs formed are crystalline with a face-centered cubic structure, while morphological analysis by XRD and Raman spectroscopy revealed a simultaneous reduction of GO and Pt. The hydrogenation of 4-nitrophenol could be accomplished in the superior catalytic performance of RGO-Pt. The current strategy emphasizes a simple, fast and environmentally benign technique to generate low-cost gum waste supported nanoparticles with a commendable catalytic activity that can be exploited in environmental applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocatalysis)

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14 pages, 3246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pd Nanocatalyst Adorned on Magnetic Chitosan@N-Heterocyclic Carbene: Eco-Compatible Suzuki Cross-Coupling Reaction

by Roya Sedghi, Bahareh Heidari, Hatef Shahmohamadi, Pourya Zarshenas and Rajender S. Varma

Molecules 2019, 24(17), 3048; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24173048 - 22 Aug 2019

Cited by 29 | Viewed by 3388

Abstract

A novel magnetic-functionalized-multi-walled carbon nanotubes@chitosan N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium (M-f-MWCNTs@chitosan-NHC-Pd) nanocatalyst is developed in two steps. The first step entails the fabrication of a three-component cross-linking of chitosan utilizing the Debus–Radziszewski imidazole approach. The second step comprised the covalent grafting of prepared cross-linked chitosan to the outer walls of magnetically functionalized MWCNTs (M-f-MWCNTs) followed by introducing PdCl₂ to generate the m-f-MWCNTs@cross-linked chitosan with a novel NHC ligand. The repeated units of the amino group in the chitosan polymer chain provide the synthesis of several imidazole units which also increase the number of Pd linkers thus leading to higher catalyst efficiency. The evaluation of catalytic activity was examined in the expeditious synthesis of biaryl compounds using the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction of various aryl halides and aryl boronic acids; ensuing results show the general applicability of nanocatalyst with superior conversion reaction yields, high turnover frequencies (TOFs) and turnover numbers (TON). Meanwhile, nanocatalyst showed admirable potential in reusability tests, being recycled for five runs without losing significant activities under optimum reaction conditions. The successfully synthesis of catalyst and its characterization was confirmed using the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FT-IR), spectrometer transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocatalysis)

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14 pages, 4537 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Facile Formation of Anatase/Rutile TiO₂ Nanocomposites with Enhanced Photocatalytic Activity

by Jing He, Yi-en Du, Yang Bai, Jing An, Xuemei Cai, Yongqiang Chen, Pengfei Wang, Xiaojing Yang and Qi Feng

Molecules 2019, 24(16), 2996; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24162996 - 19 Aug 2019

Cited by 150 | Viewed by 6363

Abstract

Anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO₂ nanoparticles were synthesized through a simple sol-gel route with further calcination using inexpensive titanium tetrachloride as a titanium source, which effectively reduces the production cost. The structural and optical properties of the prepared materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV-vis adsorption. The specific surface area was also analyzed by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO₂ nanocomposites containing of rod-like, cuboid, and some irregularly shaped anatase nanoparticles (exposed {101} facets) with sizes ranging from tens to more than 100 nanometers, and rod-like rutile nanoparticles (exposed {110} facets) with sizes ranging from tens to more than 100 nanometers. The photocatalytic activities of the obtained anatase/rutile mixed-phase TiO₂ nanoparticles were investigated and compared by evaluating the degradation of hazardous dye methylene blue (MB) under ultraviolet light illumination. Compared to the commercial Degussa P25-TiO₂, the mixed-phase TiO₂ nanocomposites show better photocatalytic activity, which can be attributed to the optimal anatase to rutile ratio and the specific exposed crystal surface on the surface. The anatase/rutile TiO₂ nanocomposites obtained at pH 1.0 (pH1.0-TiO₂) show the best photocatalytic activity, which can be attributed to the optimal heterojunction structure, the smaller average particle size, and the presence of a specific exposed crystal surface. The enhanced photocatalytic activity makes the prepared anatase/rutile TiO₂ photocatalysts a potential candidate in the removal of the organic dyes from colored wastewater. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocatalysis)

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11 pages, 2943 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fe-Containing MOFs as Seeds for the Preparation of Highly Active Fe/Al-SBA-15 Catalysts in the N-Alkylation of Aniline

by Sareena Mhadmhan, Maria Dolores Marquez-Medina, Antonio A. Romero, Prasert Reubroycharoen and Rafael Luque

Molecules 2019, 24(15), 2695; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules24152695 - 24 Jul 2019

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3287

Abstract

We have successfully incorporated iron species into mesoporous aluminosilicates (Al-SBA-15) using a simple mechanochemical milling method. The catalysts were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), pyridine (PY) and 2,6-dimethylpyridine (DMPY) pulse chromatography titration, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX). The catalysts were tested in the N-alkylation reaction of aniline with benzyl alcohol for imine production. According to the results, the iron sources, acidity of catalyst and reaction conditions were important factors influencing the reaction. The catalyst showed excellent catalytic performance, achieving 97% of aniline conversion and 96% of imine selectivity under optimized conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nanocatalysis)

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