<i>N</i>-Heterocyclic Carbene-Based Conducting Polymer–Gold Nanoparticle Hybrids and Their Catalytic Application

Abstract

Hybrid nanocomposites of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-functionalized conducting polymers (CPs) with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were prepared by concurrent disproportionation and oxidative coupling. The formation of hybrid nanocomposites, NHC-CP/AuNPs, in the simultaneous process was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, and 13C solid-state NMR analyses. More importantly, the NHC group played a pivotal role in the dispersion of AuNPs. Further, NHC-CP/AuNPs exhibited good catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-nitrophenol.