PANI-g-C3N4 grafted on cobalt acetate as an efficient precursor for synthesis of N-doped carbon contains cobalt composite: A versatile catalyst for reduction of nitro compounds

Abstract

In this study, a novel nano catalyst consisted of Co oxide particles incorporated in N-doped porous carbon, named Co3O4@N-C-600, was synthesized in the one-step pyrolysis of polyaniline-graphitic carbon nitride composite grafted cobalt acetate at 600 °C. The resulting Co3O4@N-C-600 catalyst was characterized using different identification methods. In addition, specific surface area and the size of the porous carbon cavities were measured using Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analyzer. The catalytic performance of this novel nano-catalyst was examined for reduction of aromatic and aliphatic nitro-compounds using water as green solvent at 75 °C. Also the as prepared carbon catalyst resulted corresponding amine compounds in high yields and short reaction times. After the end of the reaction, the nano catalyst was easily separated using centrifuge and the recycle studies showed that it reused in five continuous runs in the model reaction without appreciable loss of its catalytic activity.