Fabrication of silica nanoparticle-supported copper quantum dots and the efficient catalytic Ullmann coupling reaction

Abstract

Copper quantum dots (Cu-QDs@silica), with a bird's nest-like structure, were synthesized using silica nanoparticles (NPs) as the support materials for use in the Ullmann coupling reaction of bromamine acid. The average size of the QDs is 2.5nm, with a very narrow diameter range between 1.5 and 4.5nm. The Cu-QDs are imbeded inside the framework of the silica bird's nest-like structure with excellent dispersion stability. The Cu-QDs@silica catalyst showed high catalytic activity for the bromamine acid Ullmann reaction. Using water as the medium, the conversion of bromamine acid reached 96.37% when heated to 90°C after 2h.