Reversible microwave-assisted cycloaddition of aziridines to carbon nanotubes

We report a new approach that uses microwaves to rapidly functionalize carbon nanotubes by using 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition of aziridines, well-known precursors to azomethine ylides, in solvent-free conditions. The efficiency of our microwave-mediated protocol is confirmed by comparison to a similar protocol in classical conditions for the azomethine ylides in DMF. Under these latter conditions, the reaction proceeds in 5 days (against 1 h under microwave irradiation), and the functionalization degree is much lower, as confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis and Raman spectroscopy. With our procedure, we easily scale-up the reaction up to 250 mg of functionalized MWNT in 1 h. We also provide an indirect proof of the covalent sidewall functionalization of the tubes.