Facile synthesis of monodispersed Pd nanocatalysts decorated on graphene oxide for reduction of nitroaromatics in aqueous solution

Abstract

We synthesized the reproducible heterogeneous catalyst of graphene oxide (GO)-supported palladium nanoparticles (NPs) via a simple and green process. The structure, morphology and physicochemical properties of the synthesized heterogeneous catalyst were characterized by the latest techniques such as high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning TEM, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The GO-supported Pd NPs (Pd/GO nanocatalyst) exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the reduction of nitroaromatics to aminoaromatics in aqueous sodium borohydride. The nitroaromatics were converted to corresponding aminoaromatics with high yields (up to 99%) using Pd/GO nanocatalyst in aqueous solution. The hybrid heterogeneous catalyst showed 83% of conversion after six cycles in the reduction of nitrobenzene to aminobenzene. These features ensured the high catalytic activity of the introduced graphene oxide supported Pd nanocatalysts.