Facile-fabricated iron oxide nanorods as a catalyst for hydrogenation of nitrobenzene

Abstract

β-FeOOH nanorods were prepared by a poly ethylene glycol (PEG) assisted precipitation of FeCl3 ∙ 6H2O aqueous solution with urea. Na2CO3 aqueous solution was introduced to maintain their shapes under annealing. The one-dimensional porous iron oxide nanorods were synthesized successfully. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline was taken as probe reaction to evaluate their catalytic performance. FeOOH (iron oxides hydroxide) nanorods, fabricated by annealing β-FeOOH nanorods at 250°C in Ar atmosphere for 4h, exhibited high catalytic activity for the transfer hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to aniline with hydrazine hydrate as hydrogen donors.