title: Reversible microwave-assisted cycloaddition of aziridines to carbon nanotubes.
abstract: We report a new approach that uses microwaves to rapidly functionalize carbon nanotubes by using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of aziridines, well-known precursors to azomethine ylides, in solvent-free conditions. The efficiency of our microwave-mediated protocol is confirmed by comparison to a similar protocol in classical conditions for the azomethine ylides in DMF. Under these latter conditions, the reaction proceeds in 5 days (against 1 h under microwave irradiation), and the functionalization degree is much lower, as confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy. With our procedure, we easily scale-up the reaction up to 250 mg of functionalized MWNT in 1 h. We also provide an indirect proof of the covalent sidewall functionalization of the tubes.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Trieste, Piazzale Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
authors.forename: Fulvio G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Brunetti
authors.forename: M Antonia
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Herrero
authors.forename: Juan de M
authors.initials: Jde M
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Giordani
authors.forename: Angel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Díaz-Ortiz
authors.forename: Salvatore
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Filippone
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ruaro
authors.forename: Moreno
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Meneghetti
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Prato
authors.forename: Ester
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vázquez
mesh_terms: D001388:Aziridines / Q000737:chemistry*; D008872:Microwaves; D015394:Molecular Structure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman
chemical_list: D001388:Aziridines; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon