In this work, Au nanoparticles, supported in Al2O3 nanowires (ANW) modified with
(3-aminopropyl)trimethoxysilane were synthetized, for their use as catalysts in the hydrogenation
reaction of 4-(2-fluoro-4-nitrophenyl)-morpholine and 4-(4-nitrophenyl)morpholin-3-one. ANW was
obtained by hydrothermal techniques and the metal was incorporated by the reduction of the precursor
with NaBH4 posterior to superficial modification. The catalysts were prepared at different metal
loadings and were characterized by different techniques. The characterization revealed structured
materials in the form of nanowires and a successful superficial modification. All catalysts show that
Au is in a reduced state and the shape of the nanoparticles is spherical, with high metal dispersion
and size distributions from 3.7 to 4.6 nm. The different systems supported in modified-ANW were
active and selective in the hydrogenation reaction of both substrates, finding for all catalytic systems
a selectivity of almost 100% to the aromatic amine. Catalytic data showed pseudo first-order kinetics
with respect to the substrate for all experimental conditions used in this work. The solvent plays
an important role in the activity and selectivity of the catalyst, where the highest efficiency and
operational stability was achieved when ethanol was used as the solventIndexación: Scopu