Nanometric‐Thick Metal‐Free h‐Boron Nitride/Graphene Films as Base Catalyst for the Synthesis of Benzoxazoles. Issue 12 (23rd May 2022) - Rendón‐Patiño, Alejandra
Abstract: Catalysts are frequently used as pelletized powdered materials, but rarely as thin films. The present work reports the use of 2D h‐boron nitride on few layers defective graphene (h‐BN/fl‐G) films of about 10 nm thickness as base catalyst for the synthesis of benzoxazoles by coupling a 2‐amino‐phenol with p ‐substituted benzaldehydes. The synthesis of benzoxazole derivatives has aroused much interest in the last decades due to their application as potent anticancer agents against MCF‐7 and MDA‐MB‐231 breast cancer cells. The results demonstrate that these nanometer‐thick films exhibit three orders of magnitude higher activity than K2 CO3 taken as benchmark base catalyst. The activity and selectivity of h‐BN/fl‐G films depend on the nature of substituents on benzaldehyde, the solvent and reaction temperature. Abstract : Film stars : Nanometric thin h‐BN film in superlattice configuration on few layers of graphene acts as reusable basic catalyst in the synthesis of benzoxazoles reaching a turnover frequency three orders of magnitude higher than K2 CO3 as benchmark catalyst.