TiO 2 /polymeric supported silver nanoparticles applied as superior nanocatalyst in reduction reactions

A­novel polymeric nanocomposites (TiO2/poly(acrylamide-co-methylenbisacrylamide)) decorated with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) denoted as (Ag–TiO2/poly(AM-co-MBAM)) was prepared and fully characterized. Initially, the surface of TiO2 nanoparticles was modified using methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilan (MAPTMS), thus a C[dbnd]C bond for polymerization was generated, which polymerized wih acrylamide and methylenbisacrylamide monomers. Ag NPs then were immoblized on the surface of this obtained polymeric nanocomposites via reduction in the presence of AgNO3. The catalytic efficiency of Ag–TiO2/poly(AM-co-MBAM) nanocomposites was investigated for the reduction of nitroarenes and some carbonyl compounds in the presence of sodium borohydride (NaBH4) as reducing agent in aqueous media to give the corresponding anilines and alcohols with excellent yields and short reaction times, respectively. The nanocatalyst was easily recovered and reused for at least seven cycles without appreciable loss of its catalytic activity.