Microwave synthesis of titanium-containing carbon nanosheet over mesostructured cellular foam and the catalytic application

Titanium-containing carbon nanosheets have been prepared from graphite powder, titanocene dichloride, pyrrole and other components by using mesostructured cellular foam (MCF) as template under microwave irradiation. Characterizations reveal the present nanosheets have similar composition, functional group and thickness as classical graphene oxide, but they are probably formed by stitching of tiny carbon fibers those grown from pores of MCF. Meanwhile, titanium oxides appear on nanosheets, making a new catalytic system. In oxidation of alkenes, synthetic materials provide satisfactory conversions and promising stereoselectivities. Moreover, various oxidized products are obtained as key intermediates for synthesis of high-value-added chemicals. On the other hand, encouraging conversions and chiral inductions are realized in diethylzinc addition to benzaldehyde. Catalytic results also propose the synergy of MCF with attached chiral additive in chiral induction. This work not only provides a new method to produce two-dimensional carbon materials, but also shows their potentials for catalytic transformation of hydrocarbons, which would contribute to the design of new heterogeneous catalysts.