Preparation of reusable Ag-decorated graphene oxide catalysts for decarboxylative cycloaddition

In this study, we demonstrated a noble Ag-decorated graphene oxide catalyst (GOSH-Ag) for use in the decarboxylative cycloaddition reaction. The catalyst was easily prepared by depositing Ag nanoparticles on thiolated graphene oxide (GOSH) surfaces. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) indicated that the nanoparticles were well-dispersed and of a small, approximately 3.7 nm average size. These characteristics resulted in a high surface area, which enhanced the catalytic activity of the supported catalyst. Moreover, it was found that the aggregation of Ag catalysts was inhibited by the strong adhesion between the GOSHs and the Ag nanoparticles during the chemical reactions, thereby permitting their reuse. Indeed, the supported catalyst could easily be separated and recovered from the reaction mixture and reused several times.