Publication in Journal of Catalysis: Ti₃C₂ MXenes as efficient guanylation catalysts

HG Energy (ITQ, UPV-CSIC), has published a study in Journal of Catalysis demonstrating the catalytic potential of titanium MXenes (Ti₃C₂) in the guanylation of aromatic and secondary amines.

This work presents Ti₃C₂ as a solid, reusable, and noble-metal-free catalyst, achieving turnover frequencies (TOFs) above 100 h⁻¹, comparable or even superior to traditional homogeneous catalysts that rely on scarce metals. The key lies in the presence of weak acid surface sites, which the study identifies as the main active centers driving the reaction.

Guanidines are key building blocks in pharmaceuticals, polymers, and agrochemicals. Their efficient synthesis, especially from challenging substrates like aromatic amines, is a longstanding objective in organic chemistry. This research showcases Ti₃C₂ as a scalable, selective, and stable solution.

By combining experimental results with DFT simulations, the team not only clarifies the reaction mechanism but also opens new possibilities for MXenes as general-purpose catalysts in organic synthesis.

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