Carbon nitride supported copper nanoparticles: light-induced electronic effect of the support for triazole synthesis

The composite framework of graphitic carbon nitride (gCN) supported copper nanoparticle can act as a high-performance photoreactor for the synthesis of 1,2,3-triazole derivatives under light irradiation in the absence of alkaline condition. The photoactivity of gCN originates from an electron transition from the valence band to the conduction band, in the presence of photon energy, and the hot electron acts as a scavenger of the terminal proton of the alkyne molecule to facilitate the formation of copper acetanilide complex. In this study, we have performed the experiment under a different photonic environment, including dark condition, and in the presence and absence of base. A comparative study was also executed using Cu-TiO2 system, as a reference material, in the support of our proposed mechanism. The recycling performance and the photocorrosion effect of the catalyst have also been reported in this study.