Synergistic Effect of B and N Dopants in Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation

Abstract A B,N‐codoped carbon material (BNC) was prepared by a simple method and employed as a metal‐free catalyst in the transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes in aqueous solution. In the preparation of the BNC, boric acid not only functions as the template during the carbonization step but also serves as the source for the B dopant in the final BNC product. Nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) serves as the carbon and nitrogen source for the system. Characterization of the intermediate materials prepared during the synthesis indicate that the boron nitride (BN) content of the BNC increases at higher calcination temperatures. The final B,N‐codoped carbon material showed excellent catalytic activity and high selectivity in the transfer hydrogenations of nitroarenes under moderate reaction conditions (52.1–100 % yield). Results of control experiments suggest that the BN domain of the BNC is a key factor to its catalytic activity. Density functional theory calculations show that boron atoms facilitate the adsorption and activation of the nitrobenzene and hydrazine molecules. Nitrogen atoms store the active hydrogen atoms that are generated during the catalytic process and transfer them to the nitroarene. This synergistic effect between the B and N dopants in the BN domain of the BNC was used to successfully promote the catalytic transfer hydrogenation of nitroarenes.