Reusable and Highly Active Copper-Based Lacunary-type Polyoxometalate (LPMo-Cu) as an Effective Catalyst for Nitroarene Reduction in Aqueous Solution

Lacunary polyoxometalates (LPOMs), a class of anionic metal oxide clusters, are promising materials as catalysts, photocatalysts, and electrocatalysts. Designing and functionalizing this type of compound are key factors for the discovery and development of novel materials. Herein, a new lacunary polyoxometalate-based compound was designed as a heterogeneous catalyst, prepared through functionalization of a lacunary Keggin-type polyoxometalate, i.e., [PMo11O39]7-, with 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTS) and 2-pyridine carboxaldehyde. Subsequent reactions of this compound with Cu2+ ions led to the desired catalyst, LPMo-Cu. The catalytic activity of the obtained LPMo-Cu was examined in nitroarene reduction using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent in aqueous solution. It was specified that the synthesized LPMo-Cu exhibits high catalytic efficiency in the reduction of a wide variety of nitroarenes in a short time (5 min). Furthermore, the stability and recoverability of the prepared material were proved as a result of four consecutive reduction cycles without a significant decrease in its efficiency.