Bimetallic nanoparticles supported on Ce-BTC for highly efficient and stable reduction of nitroarenes: Towards environmental sustainability

The development of a catalyst with a consistent and clearly defined crystal structure is crucial for establishing an efficient catalytic performance system. This study focuses on catalyzing the reduction of nitroarenes to amino-derivatives in an aquatic environment at ambient temperature, employing metallic (Au) and bimetallic (Au-Pd or Au-Ag) nanoparticles loaded on a Ce-BTC metal-organic framework using a facile sol-immobilization approach. Diverse analytical instruments, comprising SEM, TEM, XRD, FT-IR, XPS, TGA, and N2 isotherm, have been utilized to characterize the synthesized catalysts. Among the catalysts that were fabricated, Au-Pd@Ce-BTC displayed the maximum catalytic efficacy, offering a rate constant (kapp) of 0.5841 min-1, conversion percentages reaching 99.7%, and a KAF of 116.8 min-1g-1. Moreover, it exhibited remarkable recyclability over five consecutive cycles. This catalyst offers the advantages of operating under ambient reaction conditions and exhibiting tolerance to a broad range of substrates containing various functional moieties. The mechanistic understanding of nitroarene reduction and the factors contributing to the superior activity of Au-Pd/Ce-BTC are explored through spectroscopic and porosity analyses. Spectroscopic measurements indicate that the elevated Auo and Pdo/Pd2+ ratio, increased surface area, and the synergistic collaboration of the bimetallic NPs are key factors contributing to the heightened activity of Au-Pd/Ce-BTC. These findings hold significant appeal from both an industrial and academic standpoint.