Tailor made functionalizations of graphene layers and their application as carbocatalyst for organic reactions

Over the last decades, huge interest and research activity have been focused on sp2 carbon allotropes with nanosize and high aspect ratio, hence with high surface area. It is widely acknowledged that carbon nanotubes, graphene and graphene related materials have outstanding mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Such properties are essentially due to their six atoms aromatic ring core. In this field, graphene functionalization has great importance. Functional groups affect electronic and solubility properties, self-assembly and phase forming behaviour and can promote further reactions. In this work functionalizations of sp2 carbon allotropes were performed, modifying their solubility parameter without appreciably altering their chemical and bulk structure, and to use them as catalyst for organic reaction and as building blocks for innovative polymer nanocomposites. Functionalization methods used were inspired to the basic principle of green chemistry, using easily available chemicals. Graphene layers (G) were then decorated with hydroxyl (G-OH), aldehydic (G-CHO) and carboxy groups (G-COOH). Tuning of reaction conditions led to obtain selective edge functionalization of graphene layers