Revolutionizing catalytic nitroarene reduction via manganese and nitrogen co‐doped porous carbon with engineered pore architecture

Abstract BACKGROUND Porous carbon ( PC ) and nitrogen‐doped porous carbon ( NDPC ) were synthesized using a hydrothermal method. Glucose served as the precursor for PC formation through polymerization and carbonization, while urea acted as the nitrogen source for NDPC synthesis. Activation with potassium hydroxide ( KOH ) created active sites on NDPC , facilitating the incorporation of manganese (Mn) nanoparticles through an adsorption method. Mn‐ PC and Mn‐ NDPC were further used for the catalytic reduction of harmful compounds from water. RESULTS Various characterization techniques confirmed successful synthesis and modification; for instance, SEM revealed a sheet‐like morphology for PC , oval shapes for Mn‐ PC , and rod/cubic structures for Mn‐ NDPC . STEM analysis highlighted pore integration with Mn nanoparticles, and EDX confirmed the presence of Mn, C, and O elements. XRD analysis indicated that MnO 2 exhibited high crystallinity with a monoclinic structure, while PC demonstrated lower crystallinity with a triclinic phase. BET analysis showed that Mn‐ NDPC exhibited a higher surface area compared to Mn‐ PC . Both Mn‐ PC and Mn‐ NDPC were evaluated as catalysts for nitroarene reductions (2‐ NP , 4‐ NP , 2,4‐ DNP , and PA ). Key catalytic parameters, including rate constant (kapp), reduction time, percentage reduction, and half‐life, were assessed. CONCLUSION Mn‐ NDPC demonstrated superior performance in PA reduction, achieving the highest k app (0.1405 min −1 ), the shortest reduction time (50 min), and the lowest half‐life (4.9 min), with a slightly lower percentage reduction (89.5%) compared to other nitroarenes. Catalytic efficiency was further investigated using methanol and phenol as quenching agents, highlighting the potential of Mn‐ NDPC for advanced catalytic applications. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).