A Novel and Template-Free Synthesis of Multifunctional Double-Shelled Fe3O4-C Nanoreactor as an Ideal Support for Confined Catalytic Reactions

A novel, facile and straightforward approach is developed to fabricate magnetic carbon nanoreactor consisting of multifunctional double-layered shell, large void space, tailored dimensions, and high surface area. The presented strategy involves unexampled one-pot combination of gas-bubble assisted Ostwald ripening method and polymerization of resorcinol-formaldehyde. The inner Fe3O4 layer imparts the nanoreactor with superparamagnetic character and thereby, simplifies its separation from the reaction media. The outermost carbon shell protects the inner layer from harsh external environment and also provides additional sites for metal decoration. The internal cavity of the nanoreactor was easily filled with copper metal. Thus, due to the presence of large number of catalytic active sites and the advantages of hollow architecture, Cu@Fe3O4-C exhibited excellent catalytic activity with perfect reusability for the oxidative bromination reaction. This work indicates that magnetic porous carbon nanoreactor could provide an ideal support for the immobilization of metals in the urge to develop highly efficient catalysts.