The mechanism of organic radical oxidation catalysed by gold nanoparticles

Metal nanoparticles can catalyze reactions involving organic free radicals. From the first studies focused on the catalytic reduction of water by free radicals until today, the catalytic oxidation of organic radicals has not received attention. In this work, we present the results on the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles in the oxidation of 2-propanol to acetone and acetanilide hydroxylation during water radiolysis. A detailed reaction mechanism of alpha-hydroxyisopropyl radical oxidation is discussed, explaining the increase in acetone formation by ca. 340% in the presence of gold nanoparticles. In the case of acetanilide hydroxylation in the presence of nanoparticles, a strong effect of oxygen in the reaction mechanism was observed: the increase in the oxygen concentration from 0 to 1.22 mM leads to a 40-fold decrease in hydroxylation product formation. This observation is unexpected since, in the absence of gold nanoparticles, oxygen stimulates hydroxylation reactions. We propose that in the presence of both oxygen and nanoparticles, oxygen attaches first to acetanilide OH-adducts, and then nanoparticles catalyze the oxidation of peroxyl type radicals, which does not lead to the formation of hydroxylation products.

Automated summary

Metal nanoparticles can catalyze reactions involving organic free radicals. This study investigated the catalytic activity of gold nanoparticles in two oxidation reactions, revealing unexpected results due to the presence of oxygen and nanoparticles in the reaction mechanisms.