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Facile construction of calix[4]pyrrole-templated gold nanoparticles: computational insights and application for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol

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Abstract

Herein, we report a simple one-pot synthesis of water-dispersible gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) by using meso-tetra(methyl) meso-tetra hydrazide-functionalized calix[4]pyrrole (ECPTH) as both reducing and stabilizing template. The characterization of ECPTH-AuNPs has been carried out by UV-Vis spectroscopy, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential techniques. The spherical shaped nanoparticles are highly stable with an average size of 8 ± 2 nm. The mechanistic insights rendered by the computational study have suggested that ECPTH can successfully cap the Au via utilizing the hydrazide arms. The nanoparticles functioned as an effective heterogeneous catalyst for the 4-nitrophenol reduction and ECPTH as capping ligand enhances the catalytic activity via a synergistic effect. This work contributes a new catalytic pathway for the degradation of hazardous and toxic pollutants using highly efficient and cost-effective supramolecular-functionalized nanocatalyst.

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Funding

The authors thank the financial assistance provided by DST-SERB, New Delhi, through the project scheme SERB REF. No EMR/2016/001958. The authors, Anita Kongor and Mohd Athar, gratefully acknowledge the financial assistance provided by the Department of Science & Technology (DST)—Innovation in Science Pursuit for Inspired Research (INSPIRE), New Delhi. One of the authors, Manthan Panchal, gratefully acknowledges the Human Resource Development Group—Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR), New Delhi, for Research Associate fellowship (File No. 09/70 (0064) 2K19 EMR-I). The authors also acknowledge Central Salt & Marine Chemicals Research Institute (Bhavnagar), Oxygen Healthcare-Ahmedabad (O2h), Sophisticated Analytical Instrument Facility (Panjab University), and Gujarat Forensic Sciences University (Gandhinagar), for providing instrumental facilities and UGC Infonet & Information and Library Network (INFLIBNET) (Ahmedabad) for e-journals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, School of Sciences, Gujarat University, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, 380009, India

    Anita Kongor, Manthan Panchal & Vinod Jain

  2. CCG@CUG, School of Chemical Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382030, India

    Mohd Athar

  3. Mehsana Urban Institute of Science, Department of Chemistry, Ganpat University, Kherva, Gujarat, 384012, India

    Keyur Bhatt

  4. CCG@CUG, Centre for Applied Chemistry, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, 382030, India

    P. C. Jha

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  1. Anita Kongor
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Correspondence to Vinod Jain.

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Kongor, A., Panchal, M., Athar, M. et al. Facile construction of calix[4]pyrrole-templated gold nanoparticles: computational insights and application for efficient reduction of 4-nitrophenol. Gold Bull 52, 125–133 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13404-019-00265-x

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