Ultrathin ZnTi-LDH nanosheet: A bifunctional Lewis and Brönsted acid photocatalyst for synthesis of N-benzylideneanilline via a tandem reaction

Two ultrathin ZnTi-LDH nanosheets with different thickness (1.4 and 4.0 nm) were prepared to study the interplay between active site catalytic performance in photocatalytic synthesis of N-benzylideneanilline via a tandem reaction. nanosheet possesses dual isolated sites including coordinatively unsaturated Ti atoms (Lewis acid sites) H OH groups (Brönsted sites), achieving activation benzyl alcohol nitrobenzene C–O···Ti species N–O···H–O species, respectively. Photogenerated holes electrons facilitate oxidation benzaldehyde reduction aniline, The thinner sample more sites, facilitating not only reactants but also separation photogenerated carriers. Therefore, shows high conversion (100%) selectivity (96%). Finally, synergetic mechanism connected molecular is illustrated at molecule level.