Co-MOF-Derived Hierarchical Mesoporous Yolk-shell-structured Nanoreactor for the Catalytic Reduction of Nitroarenes with Hydrazine Hydrate

Porous nanoreactors demonstrate immense potential for applications in heterogeneous catalysis due to their excellent mass-transfer performance and stability. The design of a simple, universal strategy for fabricating nanoreactor catalysts is of significance for organic transformation. In this study, a nanoreactor with a hierarchical mesoporous yolk-shell structure was successfully prepared by the high-temperature carbonization of a ZIF-67@polymer composite. The core of the resultant Co@ZDC@mC material comprised Co NPs anchored in the ZIF-67-derived carbon framework, while the shell comprised resin-polymer-derived mesoporous carbon. The as-obtained Co@ZDC@mC-700 catalyst enriched reactants, efficiently catalyzed the reaction in the core, and permitted the desorption of the product from the nanoreactor. In the catalytic reduction of nitrobenzene with N2H4.H2O, Co@ZDC@mC-700 exhibited superior catalytic efficiency (TOF=1136.3 h(-1)). In addition, Co@ZDC@mC-700 exhibited excellent performance for the catalytic reduction of various functionalized nitroarenes, as well as good reusability and recyclability. Hence, a simple, useful approach for fabricating a metal-organic-framework-derived non-noble metal-based yolk-shell nanoreactor for effective catalytic transformation is proposed.