Benzyne cycloaddition onto carbon nanohorns

A facile approach for the covalent functionalization of carbon nanohorns (CNHs) based on the benzyne cycloaddition reaction is presented. The benzynes were in situ generated from either anthranilic acid by decomposition of the internal benzenediazonium-2-carboxylate or from 2-(trimethylsilyl)-phenyl triflate by fluoride ion attack at the silicon atom followed by displacement of the trimethylsilyl group under mild conditions. Moreover, the functionalization reaction was tested and performed under conventional conditions as well as under microwave irradiation. Modified CNHs possessing fused rings onto their graphitic skeleton were fully characterized by means of complementary spectroscopic techniques, thermogravimetric analysis, electron microscopy and light scattering. Moreover, Sonogashira coupling with propargyl alcohol followed by condensation with thioctic acid, to the iodo-modified CNHs obtained from the cycloaddition reaction of 2-amino-5-iodobenzoic acid with CNHs, resulted in the preparation of a new CNH-based material in which endocyclic disulfides are extended from the fused rings onto CNHs. The latter moieties were used to immobilize gold nanoparticles, furnishing the CNH-Au-nano hybrid material, in which the former were identified with the aid of UV-Vis and EDX spectroscopy.