Design of aminoanthraquinone-based heterogeneous photocatalysts for visible-light-driven reactions and antibacterial applications

Abstract

Photoredox catalysis driven by visible light provides an efficient and environmentally friendly strategy for organic synthesis. In this study, we report a novel heterogeneous photocatalyst developed by immobilizing 1,5-diaminoanthraquinone (DAAQ) onto functionalized silica nanoparticles (SNPs). The photocatalyst was thoroughly characterized using various techniques, including TEM, SEM, UV-vis, FT-IR, ss-NMR, DLS, and XPS. Its photocatalytic performance was assessed in three reaction systems: the dehalogenation of aryl halides, cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) of N-aryl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinolines, and singlet oxygen generation via energy transfer. The SNPs-DAAQ catalyst showed high photocatalytic activity and excellent recyclability, achieving up to 10 cycles. Additionally, the nanomaterial exhibited promising antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus. The catalyst's robust performance and potential applications in green chemistry and antibacterial devices highlight its value in designing sustainable synthetic methodologies.