Metal Nanoparticles Anchored on Rhenium Disulfide Nanosheets as Catalysts for the Reduction of Aromatic Nitro Compounds

Abstract The nanohybrids of noble metal (M=Ag, Au, Pd, Pt, and Ru) nanoparticle‐decorated rhenium disulfide nanosheets (ReS₂ NSs) were demonstrated as excellent catalysts towards the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds. The M/ReS₂ nanohybrids were synthesized by facile hydrothermal method and characterization results proved that each metal nanoparticle was anchored on the ReS₂ NSs. These nanohybrids exhibited superior catalytic performance towards the reduction of aromatic nitro compounds including 4‐nitrophenol, 2‐nitroaniline, and nitrobenzene. Interestingly, the Ru/ReS₂ and Pd/ReS₂ showed enhanced catalytic reduction compared to Ag/ReS₂, Au/ReS₂, and Pt/ReS₂ and also showed significant catalytic stability due to metal nanoparticles anchored strongly on the surface of ReS₂ NSs. Moreover, these M/ReS₂ nanohybrids turned out to have much better catalytic performance compared to noble metal nanoparticle‐based catalysts. A plausible reduction mechanism was proposed for each nitro compound. It was verified that the metal‐nanoparticle‐mediated hydrogen transfer was involved in the reduction of nitro compounds to amines. This report demonstrates the catalytic activities for metal nanoparticle‐decorated ReS₂ nanohybrids, which can serve as a paradigm to open up a future trend in the design of transition metal dichalcogenides nanohybrids as superior catalysts.