Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway

Ruta, Giusy; Impemba, Salvatore; Berretti, Enrico; Giannattasio, Alessia; Capacchione, Carmine; Grassi, Alfonso; Buonerba, Antonio

doi:10.3390/catal16080701

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway

by

Giusy Ruta

¹,

Salvatore Impemba

^1,*,

Enrico Berretti

²,

Alessia Giannattasio

¹

,

Carmine Capacchione

^1,3

,

Alfonso Grassi

^1,3

and

Antonio Buonerba

^1,3,*

¹

Department of Chemistry and Biology “Adolfo Zambelli”, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy

²

Institute of Chemistry of the Organometallic Compounds, National Research Council (ICCOM-CNR), Via Madonna del Piano, 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Italy

³

Interuniversity Consortium of Chemical Reactivity and Catalysis (CIRCC), Via Celso Ulpiani, 27, 70126 Bari, Italy

^*

Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Catalysts 2026, 16(8), 701; https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080701

Submission received: 7 July 2026 / Revised: 26 July 2026 / Accepted: 29 July 2026 / Published: 31 July 2026

(This article belongs to the Section Catalysis in Organic and Polymer Chemistry)

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Abstract

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) supported by a polymer matrix of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide) (PPO) were investigated as a catalyst for the selective reduction of nitroarenes (NAs) to aniline derivatives (ANs), using sodium borohydride (NaBH₄) as a reductant. A systematic investigation of reaction parameters, including temperature, solvent, and NaBH₄ concentration, revealed a strong influence on both catalytic activity and product selectivity. Under optimised conditions (80 °C for 60 min using a [Nitrobenzene]/[Au] molar ratio of 510), the AuNPs-PPO catalyst achieved quantitative conversion and excellent selectivity toward aniline (AN) (>99%), with turnover frequencies (TOF) up to 510 h⁻¹. Methanol (CH₃OH) was identified as the optimal solvent, while lower reductant concentrations led to the formation of intermediates such as azobenzene (AB), azoxybenzene (AOB), and hydrazobenzene (HB), providing insight into the reaction pathway. The catalyst exhibited remarkable recyclability over multiple runs without significant loss of activity or structural changes, as confirmed by Wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) analysis. Furthermore, the catalytic system proved effective for a range of substituted nitroarenes (SNAs), demonstrating broad substrate scope and functional group tolerance. These results highlight the potential of AuNPs-PPO as a versatile, selective, and sustainable platform for the reduction of NAs under mild and environmentally benign conditions.

Keywords: gold nanoparticles; porous polymer; nitroarene; reduction; heterogeneous catalysis; aniline

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MDPI and ACS Style

Ruta, G.; Impemba, S.; Berretti, E.; Giannattasio, A.; Capacchione, C.; Grassi, A.; Buonerba, A. Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway. Catalysts 2026, 16, 701. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080701

AMA Style

Ruta G, Impemba S, Berretti E, Giannattasio A, Capacchione C, Grassi A, Buonerba A. Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway. Catalysts. 2026; 16(8):701. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080701

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ruta, Giusy, Salvatore Impemba, Enrico Berretti, Alessia Giannattasio, Carmine Capacchione, Alfonso Grassi, and Antonio Buonerba. 2026. "Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway" Catalysts 16, no. 8: 701. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080701

APA Style

Ruta, G., Impemba, S., Berretti, E., Giannattasio, A., Capacchione, C., Grassi, A., & Buonerba, A. (2026). Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway. Catalysts, 16(8), 701. https://doi.org/10.3390/catal16080701

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Gold Nanoparticles Embedded in Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene) Oxide Matrix: A Selective and Reusable Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction via Polymer-Controlled Reaction Pathway

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