High catalytic activity of CuO nanorods synthesized by hydrothermal approach

CuOnanorods have been synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal approach. The particle size,morphology and structure of the samples have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electronmicroscopy (FE-SEM), transmissionelectronmicroscopy(TEM) andBrunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area.The catalytic activityofCuOnanorods has been tested in three different reactionsnamely, theHuisgen cycloaddition reaction of benzylazidewith phenylacetylene, theC-Ncross couplingreactionbetweeniodobenzene and aniline, and the oxidation reaction ofCOtoCO2. These results have been compared with those obtained usingCuOnanowires (synthesized bythermal oxidation) andcommercialCuO.CuOnanorodswere found to be an excellent heterogeneous catalyst that can be recovered and reused for at least five cycles with almost no appreciable loss of activity.