Shape-Controlled Catalysis by Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide Terminated Gold Nanospheres, Nanorods, and Nanoprisms

Shape-controlled Au nanospheres, nanorods, and nanoprisms have been utilized for the first time for selective chemical reduction of different aromatic nitro compounds to the corresponding amino derivatives at room temperature. Careful observation reveals that the reaction was fastest with nanospheres and slowest with nanorods, whereas the rate was intermediate with nanoprisms when keeping the numbers of particles approximately the same. Controlled experiments revealed that our reaction followed the nitroso and hydroxylamine pathway. The yield of the product was very high, and the method should be applicable for very fast catalysis reaction of other nitro compounds.