Copper Nanoparticles Supported on Doped Graphenes as Catalyst for the Dehydrogenative Coupling of Silanes and Alcohols

Copper nanoparticles (NPs) supported on a series of undoped and doped graphene materials (Gs) have been obtained by pyrolysis of alginate or chitosan biopolymers, modified or not with boric acid, containing Cu(2+) ions at 900 °C under inert atmosphere. The resulting Cu-G materials containing about 17 wt % Cu NPs (from 10 to 200 nm) exhibit high catalytic activity for the dehydrogenative coupling of silanes with alcohols. The optimal material consisting on Cu-(B)G is more efficient than Cu NPs on other carbon supports.