Preparation of Manganese/Graphite Oxide Composite Using Permanganate and Graphite: Application as Catalyst in Bromination of Hydrocarbons

A highly efficient one-pot preparation of manganese/graphite oxide (MnOX/GO) composite from graphite and KMnO4 is described. Hummers preparation method of GO requires a stoichiometric amount of KMnO4, as a result, the method produces a large amount of reduced Mn species. The Mn residue generally is a waste, therefore, we envisioned converting it to value-added materials. A MnOX/GO composite was prepared in one-pot by treating the unpurified GO with aqueous KOH. The composite was characterized by XRD, XAFS, SEM and TEM. Among various applications of the MnOX/GO composite, we applied it as a recyclable catalyst for bromination of saturated hydrocarbons, one of the most basic but important chemical transformations. The MnOX/GO composite is expected to be an efficient catalyst because of the high surface area and high accessibility of substrates derived from the 2-dimensional sheet structure. When the reaction of a saturated hydrocarbon and Br2 in the presence of catalytic MnOX/GO was performed under fluorescent light irradiation, a brominated product was formed in high yield in a short reaction time. GO could strongly bind with Mn to prevent elution to the liquid phase, enabling the high recyclability.