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ZIF-8@ZIF-67 Derived Co/NPHC Catalysts for Efficient and Selective Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes

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Abstract

Constructing nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon with loading of non-precious metal for highly efficient hydrogenation of nitroarenes is desirable but challenging. Herein we report a facile self-sacrificing template strategy to prepare Co embedded in nitrogen-doped porous hollow carbon (Co/NPHC) from pyrolysis of well-designed core–shell ZIF-8@ZIF-67. The pyrolysis of ZIF-8@ZIF-67 at 900 °C endowed as-resultant Co/NPHC-900 with high specific surface area, hollow structure and hierarchical mesopore, favoring the dispersion of Co species and then generating abundant Co-Nx active sites, also promoting mass transport of substrates and products. As a result, the Co/NPHC-900 catalyst showed excellent activity and extraordinary selectivity in the hydrogenation of nitrobenzene, which far surpassed Co/NPC-900 and ZnCo/NPC-900 catalysts derived from sole ZIF-67 and ZnCo-BMZIF, respectively. It also had a broad substrate scope and good reusability. Furthermore, characterization and control experiments showed that Co single atoms should be catalytic active sites rather than Co nanoparticles for Co/NPHC-900. Our work provides a good candidate for the replacement of precious metal catalysts for selective hydrogenations as well as contributes to the rational design of high-performance single-atom catalysts.

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Acknowledgements

The work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (21576248) and Key scientific research projects of colleges and universities of Henan Province (21A150057).

Funding

Key scientific research projects of colleges and universities of Henan Province, 21A150057, National Natural Science Foundation of China, 21576248

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Material and Chemical Engineering, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, 450001, People’s Republic of China

    Jianbo Zhao, Weichuang Yang, Haifeng Yuan, Xiaomeng Li & Wanzhen Bing

  2. Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Surface and Interface Science, Zhengzhou University of Light Industry, Zhengzhou, 450001, People’s Republic of China

    Lifeng Han

  3. Institute of Clean Energy and Advanced Nanocatalysis, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Anhui University of Technology, Maanshan, 243002, People’s Republic of China

    Konglin Wu

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  1. Jianbo Zhao
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Zhao, J., Yang, W., Yuan, H. et al. ZIF-8@ZIF-67 Derived Co/NPHC Catalysts for Efficient and Selective Hydrogenation of Nitroarenes. Catal Lett 153, 824–835 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10562-022-04016-0

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