Synthesis of silver particles stabilized by a bifunctional SiH(x)–NH(y)–PMHS oligomer as recyclable nanocatalysts for the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Bifunctional oligomers with both reducing and stabilizing functionalities were prepared and successfully applied to the preparation of silver colloids of around 2 nm size without employing a strong stabilizer such as S and P, which was quite difficult to achieve. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS) were performed to determine the morphology and particle size of the Ag colloids. UV-vis spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) were implemented to investigate the oxidation state of the Ag colloids. Synthesis parameters such as the density control of the ligating functionalities, the propinquity of the reducing and stabilizing groups, the extent of ligand stabilization and the reducing rates were found to have important effects on the formation and stabilization of Ag colloids. The as-synthesized Ag colloids were very stable even after being deposited on silica; then, they were subjected to calcination to get rid of the organics, which afforded Ag NPs (1.9–3.5 nm) on silica with narrow size distribution. These Ag NPs performed excellently in catalytic 4-nitrophenol reduction with conversion of up to 98% within 10 min. Furthermore, the Ag nanoparticles were quite stable and exhibited excellent reusability for seven successive reaction cycles without obvious decay. The straightforward synthesis of the ultra-small and stable Ag NPs has the potential for applications in the synthesis of other supported late transition metals.