A One-Stone-Two-Birds Strategy to Functionalized Carbon Nanocages

Abstract

Carbon nanocages (CNCs) have attracted tremendous interest in heterogeneous catalysis due to their promising properties of porous structure and improved mass transfer. Nevertheless, the controlled synthesis of CNCs remains a great challenge. Herein, we have shown the successful construction of functionalized N-doped CNCs (NCNCs) via a one-stone-two-birds strategy. The selective use of hexacarbonyl molybdenum (Mo­(CO)6) can not only protect the profile of the ZIF-8 precursor from collapse during thermal treatment but also be sacrificed for the functionalization of NCNCs after pyrolysis. Detailed mechanism studies reveal that Mo­(CO)6 evolves into MoO3 on the surface of ZIF-8 and then facilitates the rapid pyrolysis of ZIF-8, leading to the formation of NCNCs decorated with small-sized MoC nanoparticles (MoC/NCNCs). The versatility of this one-stone-two-birds strategy has been validated by the generations of Cr- and W-decorated NCNCs. Moreover, MoC/NCNCs can serve as a selective and stable catalyst for furfural hydrogenation. This work provides a facile and universal strategy for fabricating and functionalizing CNCs, which attracts research interest in the fields of chemistry, material science, catalysis, and beyond.

Recent advances in metal–organic framework based heterogeneous catalysts for furfural hydrogenation reactions

“…The application of molybdenum carbides for FFR hydrogenation was also investigated and they showed superior selectivity for FFA. 56,57 Wang et al successfully constructed functionalized N-doped carbon nanocages (NCNCs) for FFR hydrogenation via a one-stone-twobirds strategy 57 (Fig. 3f).…”

Oxalate‐Assisted Synthesis of Hollow Carbon Nanocage With Fe Single Atoms for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction

“…Both SEM and TEM proved that H-Fe-NC was a hollow carbon nanocages. [30] Isolated bright spots, which correspond to Fe single atoms according to their higher atomic number compared with C and N, could be observed from aberrationcorrected HAADF-STEM (AC-HAADF-STEM, Figure 1d). The lattice fringes with an interplanar spacing of 0.35 nm is corresponding to (002) facet of 2H-graphite (JCPDS No.…”

Boosting Chemoselective Hydrogenation of Nitroaromatic via Synergy of Hydrogen Spillover and Preferential Adsorption on Magnetically Recoverable Pt@Fe2O3

“…supported on metal oxide for the selective hydrogenation. [11][12][13][14] Generally, to develop a hydrogenation catalyst with good performance, optimizing the adsorption and activation of substrate and H 2 on catalyst surfaces are pivotal. The H 2 and substrates can be separately activated at different locations in one component or even on different components of supported-metal catalysts.…”