Visible-light induced one-pot hydrogenation and amidation of nitroaromatics with carboxylic acids over 2D MXene-derived Pt/N-TiO2/Ti3C2

Pt nanoparticles supported on N doped titanium dioxide/titanium carbide (MXene) heterojunctions were employed as photocatalysts for the tandem reactions between aromatic nitro compounds and carboxylic acids to produce amide products. The 3%Pt/N-TiO2/Ti3C2 heterojunction was prepared by in situ grew TiO2 on Ti3C2 nanosheets and then N doped TiO2 with melamine, Pt nanoparticles with 3.3 nm mean diameter well dispersed on N-TiO2/Ti3C2. 3%Pt/N-TiO2/Ti3C2 had excellent amidation activity and chemoselectivity under visible-light irradiation. The elevated catalytic performance of 3%Pt/N-TiO2/Ti3C2 was owing to the improvement in photogenerated electron and hole separation efficiency through charge short-range directional transmission caused by the intimate contact between the TiO2 and the conductive Ti3C2. This direct hydrogenation along with amidation between nitroaromatics and carboxylic acids own actual merits in the amides produce with no harmful byproducts. In situ DRIFTS spectra verified that the amidation activation with visible light irradiation at 25 degrees C was much faster than heating.