Development of nanoparticle based heterogeneous catalysis for important organic reactions

Abstract

This thesis comprises of six chapters. The first chapter describes the extensive literature survey about the previous developments in the field of nanoparticles design, synthesis and their application as active catalysts for several important organic transformations. Subsequent chapters describe the detailed study on the synthesis and characterization of several monometallic and bimetallic alloy nanoparticle catalysts (nanocatalysts) and utilization of these catalysts for various organic transformation including hydrogenation and C-C coupling reactions in water. The main objectives of the present study are,  To develop highly active monometallic non-noble nanocatalysts for chemoselective reduction of aromatic and aliphatic nitro compounds to corresponding amines at room temperature and to understand the role of catalyst in the mechanistic pathway of catalytic reactions.  To design and synthesise magnetically recoverable hierarchically structured silica nanospheres as an efficient support for catalytically active Ni nanoparticles for the reduction of nitrate ions.  To design and develop highly active bimetallic Ni-Pd alloy nanocatalysts for Suzuki coupling reactions.  To study the effect of alloying of non-noble metals with noble metals on the catalytic C-C coupling reactions and to understand the role of alloying on the mechanistic pathway of catalytic reaction.