The use of chitosan as a support in the field of catalysis
has
gained tremendous interest because of its abundance and sustainability.
We herein disclose a straightforward strategy to trap and stabilize
bismuth nanoparticles (BiNPs) on chitosan biopolymer Bi@CS and their
use for catalytic applications. Bi@CS was configured as micrometer-thick
films, porous beads, and native powders analyzed and next used for
the controlled and selective reduction of nitroaromatic compounds
to their corresponding anilines and azoarenes, respectively, by varying
the concentration medium in reducing NaBH4. A regioselective
mechanism has been suggested. Powder nanocomposites CSp-BiNPs exhibited
high catalytic capacity, and 10 corresponding anilines and 15 azoarenes
were obtained with very high yields. The reductions were achieved
under mild and sustainable reaction conditions (water solvent and
room temperature) with easy processing and 12 recovery cycles. Shaped
catalysts were easily recovered by simple filtration. This catalyst,
derived from nontoxic and affordable bismuth metal supported on chitosan
ocean waste, presents significant improvements in the realm of sustainable
chemistry and could open a new channel of possibilities for green
catalysis.
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