Blanco, EliasEsteve-Adell, IvánAtienzar Corvillo, Pedro EnriqueCasas, J.A.Hernández, P.Quintana, C.2017-07-242017-07-2420162046-2069https://riunet.upv.es/handle/10251/85642[EN] The catalytic performance of cucurbit[7]uril-protected gold nanoparticles is reported for the first time for the reductive degradation of the banned but still used antibacterial compound nitrofurantoin. The cucurbit[7]uril-protected gold nanoparticles were produced by Au(III) reduction by sodium borohydride and subsequent addition of cucurbit[7]uril as a ligand. Working in this way, 5.7 nm gold nanoparticles were obtained and characterised by spectrophotometric and high-resolution transmission electron microscopic techniques. For a 1 : 100 nitro compound : sodium borohydride molar ratio, a normalised pseudo-first order apparent constant of 0.27 L s(-1) m(-2) at 25 degrees C and an activation energy of 34 kJ mol(-1) were obtained. For comparative purposes, the reduction reaction of the pollutant 4-nitrophenol was also studied and an apparent kinetic constant of 0.12 L s(-1) m(-2) at 25 degrees C and an activation energy of 68 kJ mol-1 were obtained, data that, when compared with recently reported work, demonstrates that these nanoparticles are an efficient catalyst.Reconocimiento - No comercial (by-nc)Palladium nanostructuresMetallic nanoparticlesSilver nanoparticlesFacile synthesis4-nitrophenolSizeNitrofurantoinChemistrySJunctionsQUIMICA ANALITICAQUIMICA ORGANICAArtículo10.1039/c6ra07168fAbierto