High product yield in a narrow column configuration of carbon nanotubes: A Pathway for nanosynthetic machine

Multiwalled functionalized carbon nanotubes have been aligned in a narrow column configuration of 3.1 cm X 0.2 cm through which the organic reactants are allowed to travel through gravity. The products coming out of the column have been examined by GC/MS and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy. With organic reactants such as aniline and hydrogen peroxide in 1:1 molar ratio, a high yield of azo compound has been obtained through the coupling of nitrosobenzene and aniline. This suggests that the column configuration is ideal for organic synthesis and for the development of nanosynthetic machines

Conversion of Aniline to Azobenzene at Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes: A Possible Case of a Nanodimensional Reaction

Aniline is oxidized to nitrosobenzene as the initial product, which undergoes further oxidation to nitrobenzene. The nitrosobenzene formation is catalyzed by functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNT) followed by a coupling reaction between nitrosobenzene and aniline to produce azobenzene. This coupling requires close proximity of the reactants. It proceeds rapidly resulting in the UV-VIS absorption spectrum showing maxima at 327 nm and 425 nm. The nitrosobenzene yield in the presence of CNTs is controlled by the amount present in the medium. As the reaction is not catalyzed by unfunctionalized CNTs or graphitic particles, the uniqueness of the functionalized multiwalled CNTs in this catalysis suggests a nanodimensional reaction pathway