Self‐Assembled Magnetic Gold Catalysts from Dual‐Functional Boron Clusters

• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201702011
• Publication Date: 2018-01-23T07:08:51Z
• Authors: Bin Qi; Chenchen Wu; Xin Li; Dan Wang; Liang Sun; Bo Chen; Wenjing Liu; Haibo Zhang; Xiaohai Zhou
• Keywords: 01 natural sciences; 0104 chemical sciences

AbstractA new class of core–shell magnetic gold nanocomposites is prepared in a raspberry‐like fashion by the controlled supramolecular host–guest assembly of γ‐cyclodextrins (γ‐CDs) and boron clusters. In this work, Cs2[closo‐B12H12], a fundamental boron cluster, can play a dual role in the preparation of highly monodispersed Au nanoparticles and in the immobilization of Au nanoparticles on the γ‐CDs@Fe3O4 surface as an effective anchor. This facile and spontaneous supramolecular strategy allows for the control of the size and composition of the highly stable gold composites. Furthermore, the obtained AuNPs@Fe3O4 composites exhibit an excellent catalytic activity and recyclability for the selective reduction of nitroaromatics to their corresponding aniline compounds, and the fastest reaction can be achieved within 20 s with a high conversion and selectivity at room temperature, which is better than that obtained previously in studies on metal nanoparticle composites as catalysts.