Synthesis of Ag-Cu-Ni Nanoparticles Stabilized on Functionalized g-C3N4 and Investigation of Its Catalytic Activity in the A3-Coupling Reaction.

Abstract

In the present research, using ethylenediamine and hydrazine hydrate as the capping and reducing agents in this investigation, respectively, Ag-Cu-Ni NPs were immobilized on the functionalized g-C3N4 surface. This nanocatalyst was studied in terms of its catalytic activities for the A3-coupling reaction to synthesize propargylamine derivatives. According to the results, in the presence of 1 mL of toluene as the solvent and 20 mg of the g-C3N4-TCT-2AEDSEA-Ag-Cu-Ni nanocatalyst, the maximum efficiency of the nanocatalyst occurred at a temperature of 80 °C. Products were purified using thin-layer chromatography plates (silica gel) by employing n-hexane/ethyl acetate with a 90:10 ratio. In addition, the prominent benefits of the synthesized nanocatalyst include its high yields of the product, cost-effectiveness, recyclability, and easy separation. The novelty of the catalyst is due to the presence of Ag-Cu-Ni nanoparticles at the same time in the structure of the functionalized g-C3N4 substrate. So, Ag-Cu-Ni can be strongly connected to the substrate. The structure of the synthesized nanocatalyst was characterized using Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometry, and transmission electron microscopy.