Biomass-Derived Carbon Nanospheres with Turbostratic Structure as Metal-Free Catalysts for Selective Hydrogenation of o-Chloronitrobenzene

Abstract

Nowadays, metal-free catalysts are sought after for synthesis of fine chemicals. Herein, we utilized the natural biomass xylose as the precursor to fabricate carbon nanospheres with turbostratic carbon structure via hydrothermal treating and high-temperature calcinating. These green and sustainable carbon materials were used as metal-free catalysts in selective hydrogenation of o-chloronitrobenzene (o-CNB), exhibiting a significantly enhanced catalytic activity with the increasing calcination temperature, as well as 100% selectivity to o-chloroanilines (o-CAN). In terms of the systematic characterization and simulated calculation, it is found turbostratic carbon formed in the calcination process might act as the catalytic active center in this reaction, and its selective reaction with −NO2 in o-CNB results in the enhanced catalytic activity and fully selectivity to o-CAN.