Thienylbenzotriazole promoted highly active gold nanoparticles supported on N-doped graphene as efficient catalysts in water and a mechanism exploration

Abstract

An efficient and simple method for the in situ preparation of highly active gold nanoparticles on nitrogen-doped graphene was designed and developed with thienylbenzotriazole gold as the precursor and no additional surfactants or reductants. The developed gold nanoparticles were characterized through energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy studies. This kind of gold nanocomposite was proven to be effective for the chemoselective alkylation of ketones with alcohols, alcohols with alcohols, amines with alcohols, and particularly for amines with amines, under water-based and base-free conditions for the first time. Mechanism investigations were carried out to better discuss this catalyst system and these reactions.