Selenium-doped graphitic carbon nitride decorated with Ag NPs as a practical and recyclable nanocatalyst for the hydrogenation of nitro compounds in aqueous media

In the present study, in situ selenium-doped graphitic carbon nitride, showed as Se-g-C3N4, was prepared by applying low-cost melamine and 2,4,6-triselenocyanato-1,3,5-triazine as the precursor materials through a simple thermal condensation strategy and used as an ideal catalyst support. Ag NPs were anchored on the Se-g-C3N4 through the co-reduction method with NaBH4 as a reductant to fabricate the Se-g-C3N4/Ag nanocatalyst. Various microscopic and spectroscopic techniques confirmed the construction of Se-g-C3N4/Ag nanocatalyst and the obtained results have been well interpreted in the context. The Se-g-C3N4/Ag indicated excellent catalytic efficiency and exclusive chemoselectivity in the hydrogenation of nitroaromatic compounds using a green reducing agent (NaBH4) in an environmentally friendly aqueous media, and the corresponding anilines were produced as sole products. The supreme catalytic activity and durability of the Se-g-C3N4/Ag can be ascribed to the synergetic interaction between the highly dispersed Ag NPs and the support.