Solvent-free catalytic dehydrative etherification of benzyl alcohol over graphene oxide

Graphene oxide (GO), prepared from oxidation of graphite powders using a modified Hummers method, exhibits a promising catalytic activity and a high selectivity for the solvent-free catalytic dehydrative etherification of benzyl alcohol (BA). A maximum yield (85.4%) of dibenzyl ether (DE) was achieved at 150 °C for 24 h when the BA/GO ration was 20 ml/g under solvent-free condition. This discovery provided a new insight into the development of GO as a carbocatalysts for a variety of applications in carbocatalysis.