Sulfonated graphitic carbon nitride having both Brønsted base and Brønsted acid sites is used as a heterogeneous catalyst for the selective conversion of different biomass-derived saccharides to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural in green solvents.

Novel RGO–NCT composites have been synthesized and utilized for the degradation of MB and TBZ, as efficient bifunctional adsorptive photocatalysts.

In the pursuit towards the use of sunlight as a sustainable source for energy generation and environmental remediation, photocatalytic water splitting and photocatalytic pollutant degradation have recently gained significant importance. Research in this field is aimed at solving the global energy crisis and environmental issues in an ecologically-friendly way by using two of the most abundant natural resources, namely sunlight and water. Over the past few years, carbon-based nanocomposites, particularly graphene and graphitic carbon nitride, have attracted much attention as interesting materials in this field. Due to their unique chemical and physical properties, carbon-based nanocomposites have made a substantial contribution towards the generation of clean, renewable and viable forms of energy from light-based water splitting and pollutant removal. This review article provides a comprehensive overview of the recent research progress in the field of energy generation and environmental remediation using two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites. It begins with a brief introduction to the field, basic principles of photocatalytic water splitting for energy generation and environmental remediation, followed by the properties of carbon-based nanocomposites. Then, the development of various graphene-based nanocomposites for the above-mentioned applications is presented, wherein graphene plays different roles, including electron acceptor/transporter, cocatalyst, photocatalyst and photosensitizer. Subsequently, the development of different graphitic carbon nitride-based nanocomposites as photocatalysts for energy and environmental applications is discussed in detail. This review concludes by highlighting the advantages and challenges involved in the use of two-dimensional carbon-based nanocomposites for photocatalysis. Finally, the future perspectives of research in this field are also briefly mentioned.

A nanocomposite comprised of MoS 2 -RGO having unique structural features was developed by using a facile preparation strategy and demonstrated to be a highly efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of indole alkaloids in water. The catalyst could be recycled six times without significant loss of its activity. Green chemistry matrix calculations for the reaction showed high atom economy (A.E. = 94.7%) and small E-factor (0.089). Using this nanocomposite as catalyst, four naturally occurring indole alkaloids, Arundine, Vibrindole A, Turbomycin B, and Trisindole, were synthesized along with their other derivatives in excellent yields.

Sustainable hydrogen transfer reactions without the use of expensive noble metals and toxic solvents is a challenging task. In this work, a process has been developed for selective hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds to corresponding alcohols.