Preparation of CuCo/NH2-MIL-101(Fe) nanocomposite for photocatalytic synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-ones and 1-amidoalkyl-2-naphthols

Abstract

Bimetallic CuCo nanoparticles were grown on iron-based NH₂-MIL-101 metal–organic frameworks, and their photoactivity was evaluated for photocatalytic organic synthesis. The CuCo/NH₂-MIL-101 composite exhibited a narrower bandgap (E_g = 1.3 eV), slower photogenerated charge recombination, enhanced charge separation, and faster charge transport compared to pristine NH₂-MIL-101 (E_g = 1.48 eV). As a photocatalyst, CuCo/NH₂-MIL-101 enabled light-driven synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives with 83–93% yields in 2–2.5 h under visible light irradiation (200 W LED lamp). It also efficiently catalyzed the synthesis of 1-amidoalkyl-2-naphthols, achieving 78–95% yields in 70–105 min (200 W LED lamp). The synergistic effect between Cu and Co, combined with the intrinsic photoactivity of NH₂-MIL-101, significantly enhanced the composite's photocatalytic performance. Moreover, the photocatalyst demonstrated excellent functional and structural stability over five recycling runs.