Graphene-oxide-supported CuAl and CoAl layered double hydroxides as enhanced catalysts for carbon-carbon coupling via Ullmann reaction

Two efficient catalyst based on CuAl and CoAl layered double hydroxides (LDHs) supported on graphene oxide (GO) for the carbon-carbon coupling (Classic Ullmann Homocoupling Reaction) are reported. The pure and hybrid materials were synthesised by direct precipitation of the LDH nanoparticles onto GO, followed by a chemical, structural and physical characterisation by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), surface area measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The GO-supported and unsupported CuAl-LDH and CoAl-LDH hybrids were tested over the Classic Ullman Homocoupling Reaction of iodobenzene. In the current study CuAl- and CoAl-LDHs have shown excellent yields (91% and 98%, respectively) at very short reaction times (25 min). GO provides a light-weight, charge complementary and two-dimensional material that interacts effectively with the 2D LDHs, in turn enhancing the stability of LDH. After 5 re-use cycles, the catalytic activity of the LDH/GO hybrid is up to 2 times higher than for the unsupported LDH. - Graphical abstract: CuAl- and CoAl-LDHs have shown excellent yields (91% and 98%, respectively) at very short reaction times (25 min). GO provides a light-weight, charge complementary, two-dimensional material that interacts effectively with the 2D LDHs, in turn enhancing the stability of LDH. - Highlights: • CuAl LDH/GO and CoAl LDH/GO hybrid materials with different LDH compositions were prepared. • Hybrids were fully characterised and their catalytic efficiency over the Classic Ullman Reaction was studied. • CuAl- and CoAl-LDHs have shown excellent yields (91% and 98%, respectively) in 25 min reaction times. • GO provides a light-weight, charge complementary, two-dimensional material that interacts effectively with the 2D LDHs. • After 5 re-use cycles, the catalytic activity of the LDH/GO hybrid is up to 2 times higher than for the unsupported LDH.