Carbocatalysts: Graphene Oxide and Its Derivatives

Graphene oxide (GO) sheets are emerging as a new class of carbocatalysts. Conventionally, researchers exfoliate graphite oxide into submicrometer-sized, water-dispersible flakes to produce these sheets. The presence of oxygen functional groups on the aromatic scaffold of GO allows these sheets to mediate ionic and nonionic interactions with a wide range of molecules. GO shows remarkable catalytic properties on its own and when hybridized with a second material. It is a perfect platform for molecular engineering. This Account examines the different classes of synthetic transformations catalyzed by GO and correlates its reactivity with chemical properties. First, we raise the question of whether GO behaves as a…