Issue 40, 2016

Polymer-fabricated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles and applications as a green catalyst towards multicomponent transformation with size-dependent activity studies

Abstract

The present study primarily emphasizes the polymer-directed synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles (CeONP). Prior to the synthesis of CeONP, nanoflakes of the precursor cerium oxalate (CeOX) were first prepared by employing an AOT/lecithin/iso-octane/H2O mixed reverse microemulsion system and a polymer was added to the reaction medium to accomplish a dual purpose as both an additive and a structure-directing agent. Three polymers, namely, P123 (triblock copolymer), 17R4 (reverse triblock copolymer) and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), were used as additives. Interestingly, the use of various polymers caused the synthesis of spherical cerium oxide nanoparticles within different size ranges (≈28.56 nm, 24.33 nm and 14.28 nm). Characterization of the synthesized CeONP was conducted by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) and Raman spectroscopy. The latter part of the study investigated their size-dependent catalytic activity in three-component reactions between nitrostyrene, 1,3-dicarbonyl compound, and aromatic primary amines to produce N-arylpyrrole as the desired product. The surface area of nanoceria (CeO2) was determined by BET measurements. Variations in size were found to directly affect the yield of the reactions. TEM analysis both before and after catalysis indicated the participation of the edges of the particles in the reaction.

Graphical abstract: Polymer-fabricated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles and applications as a green catalyst towards multicomponent transformation with size-dependent activity studies

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 May 2016
Accepted
16 Sep 2016
First published
16 Sep 2016

CrystEngComm, 2016,18, 7873-7882

Polymer-fabricated synthesis of cerium oxide nanoparticles and applications as a green catalyst towards multicomponent transformation with size-dependent activity studies

B. Samai, S. Sarkar, S. Chall, S. Rakshit and S. C. Bhattacharya, CrystEngComm, 2016, 18, 7873 DOI: 10.1039/C6CE01104G

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