Selective one-pot synthesis of copper nanorods under surfactantless condition

Selective evolution of copper nanorods is reported under surfactantless condition by well-known reducing sugar glucose. The reaction was carried out in alkaline medium as an obligatory step under nitrogen atmosphere. We found a particular concentration of glucose that surprisingly assisted the generation of stable copper nanorods from alkaline copper sulfate solution. Above or below the critical concentration of glucose only spheres were obtained. Slight change in the experimental conditions induced distinct modifications on the shape and size of the nanorods. In this synthesis, the glucose performed multiple tasks. It not only reduces the Cu(II) ions but also responsible for the stabilization of the evolved copper particles in their nano regime. Finally, the nanorods were characterized by UV-Vis, TEM, XRD and exploited as a selective catalyst for phenol oxidative coupling reaction for a model compound, 2-naphthol. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.