eChapter Name: Green Synthesis of Copper-Based Nanoparticles Using Plant Extracts; Application in Recent Organic Transformations
9789372194135
eBook Name: EMERGING TRENDS IN CATALYSIS, NATURAL PRODUCTS AND POLYMERS
Introduction
Before 1800, it was believed that organic compounds could only be synthesized by living organisms, not possible in the laboratory. Friedrich Wohler successfully synthesized the first organic compound urea in the laboratory. Recently, synthetic organic chemistry has been a well-established science to construct derivative or new compounds, which have been utilized in the fields of medicine, food, clothing, nutrition, polymers, plastic, highly durable materials, and high energy fuels, that are beneficial to humans, and society. To achieve faster organic transformations, many advancements have been made, as a result, catalysts have been taken into account, which provides an alternate faster path for the reaction by lowering the activation energy. The catalysts play a very crucial role in achieving organic transformations more efficiently, affordably, and with higher yields in less time. Additionally, the catalyst which is environment-friendly and easily recoverable after completion of the process, would be beneficial in both economic and ecological ways (Trost, 1991). The utilization of nanoparticles as catalysts in organic transformations is more advantageous over conventional catalysts because of lower catalyst loadings, and high performance of the reaction in heterogenous phase. The large surface area of nanoparticles is responsible for high reactivity towards organic transformations. Till now, many nano-dimension metals like gold (Au), silver (Ag), platinum (Pt), and palladium (Pd) efficiently utilized to catalyze organic transformations (Muskan et al., 2022). The ever-growing demand for productive and sustainable catalytic systems has driven the utilization of transition metal nanoparticles as catalysts in organic conversions (Pathak et al., 2024). Among these, copper-based nanoparticles have shown great potential as catalysts due to their large surface area and variable oxidation states, which enable them to function as both oxidizing and reducing agents, effectively replacing traditional palladium catalysts (Pathak et al., 2024). Copper-based nanoparticles having specific physicochemical properties, varying in size, porosity, surface/volume ratio, and shape can also be synthesized through different physical, chemical, and biogenic methodologies. Most physical and chemical methods are considered toxic, have huge energy demands, and have high-temperature demands. In contrast, biogenic methods are simple and non-toxic. The biogenic procedure can be done by using microbes, fungi, algae, plants, extracts, etc. This chapter provides insights into various aspects of the biogenic synthesis of copper-based nanoparticles using plants and multiple catalytic applications in recent organic transformations.