Abstract
With the increasing requirement of efficient organic transformations on the basic concept of Green Sustainable Chemistry, the development of highly efficient catalytic reaction system is greatly desired. In this case, gold (Au)-based nanocatalysts are promising candidates for catalytic reaction, especially for the reduction of nitroaromatics. They have attracted wide attention and well developed in the application of nitroaromatics reduction because of the unique properties compared with that of other conventional metal-based catalysts. With this respect, this review proposes recent trends in the application of Au nanocatalysts for efficient reduction process of nitroaromatics. Some typical approaches are compared and discussed to guide the synthesis of highly efficient Au nanocatalysts. The mechanism on the use of H2 and NaBH4 solution as the source of hydrogen is compared, and that proposed under light irradiation is discussed. The high and unique catalytic activity of some carriers, such as oxides and carbons-based materials, based on different sizes, structures, and shapes of supported Au nanocatalysts for nitroaromatics reduction are described. The catalytic performance of Au combining with other metal nanoparticles by alloy or doping, like multi-metal nanoparticles system, is further discussed. Finally, a short discussion is introduced to compare the catalysis with other metallic nanocatalysts.
The procedure for different synthetic methods of Au catalysts and the reduction process for nitroaromatics based on Au catalysts (The insert images show the evolution for the publications about the key words of “Gold catalyst” on indexed journal sand the highly cited papers republished in this field from web of science in the past 20 years.). [Display omitted]
•Synthetic strategies of Au nanocatalysts are discussed comprehensively.•Mechanism and routes for nitroaromatics reduction by Au nanocatalysts are reviewed.•Factors affected catalytic performance based on different Au nanocatalysts is discussed.•An insight of prospects and challenges for the development of Au nanocatalysts is taken.