Effect of Confined Spaces in the Catalytic Activity of 1D and 2D Heterogeneous Carbon-Based Catalysts for Synthesis of 1,3,5-Triarylbenzenes: RGO-SO3H vs. MWCNTs-SO3H

Abstract

One hot debate between catalytic activities of sulfonated reduced graphene oxide (RGO-SO3H), as the 2D heterogeneous carbon-based catalyst, and sulfonated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-SO3H), as the 1D heterogeneous carbon-based catalyst, was investigated in the synthesis of 1,3,5-triarylbenzenes under different conditions. This comparison study revealed that the 2D catalytic system was more efficient relative to the 1D catalyst in terms of yields of the target products, turnover frequency of the catalyst (TOF), and the reusability. The reasons of this observation such as specific surface area, confinement spaces in 1D and 2D carbon-based catalysts, solvent accessible surface area, surface active sites, and the availability of supported functional groups on carbon nanostructures will discuss. Moreover, the application of synthesized compounds as a substrate was checked in carbon-carbon bond formation. Also, one of the synthesized compounds was produced using three approaches under metal and non-metal conditions. Notably, the recyclability of the two catalytic systems was checked.