title: Graphenes as Metal-Free Catalysts with Engineered Active Sites.
abstract: This Perspective article highlights how recent discoveries on the activity of defective graphene to promote different organic reactions as metal-free catalysts has led to propose certain substructures present on these defective graphenes as active sites. The sustainability of using as catalysts graphenes obtained from biomass and the possibility to generate active sites by introducing defects on the sheet are the two main characteristics triggering research in this area. Emphasis is made in the need to gain understanding on the nature of the active sites and how this understanding requires the combination of conventional kinetic experiments as well as advanced characterization tools. The relationship between catalysis by graphene and that by organocatalysis has also been remarked.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia , Av. de los Naranjos, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Primo
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry and Catalysis, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Bucharest , Bdul Regina Elisabeta 4-12, Bucharest 030016, Romania.
authors.forename: Vasile
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Parvulescu
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Tecnología Química CSIC-UPV, Universitat Politecnica de Valencia , Av. de los Naranjos, s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Hermenegildo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9664-493X
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Garcia