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Direct Synthesis of N‐Heterocyclic Carbene‐Stabilized Copper Nanoparticles from an N‐Heterocyclic Carbene–Borane
Author(s) -
Frogneux Xavier,
Hippolyte Laura,
Mercier Dimitri,
Portehault David,
Chanéac Corinne,
Sanchez Clément,
Marcus Philippe,
Ribot François,
Fensterbank Louis,
Carenco Sophie
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
chemistry – a european journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.687
H-Index - 242
eISSN - 1521-3765
pISSN - 0947-6539
DOI - 10.1002/chem.201901534
Subject(s) - carbene , borane , chemistry , adduct , copper , ammonia borane , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , nanoparticle , polymer chemistry , medicinal chemistry , covalent bond , photochemistry , catalysis , organic chemistry , materials science , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , dehydrogenation , engineering
N‐Heterocyclic carbene (NHC)‐stabilized copper nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized from an NHC–borane adduct and mesitylcopper(I) under thermal conditions (refluxing toluene for 2.5 h). NPs with a size distribution of 11.6±1.8 nm were obtained. The interaction between Cu NPs and NHC ligands was probed by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, which showed covalent binding of the NHC to the surface of the NPs. Mechanistic studies suggested that NHC–borane plays two roles: contributing to the reduction of [CuMes] 2 to release Cu 0 species and providing NHC ligands to stabilize the copper NPs.