Graphene oxide as a metal-free catalyst for oxidation of primary amines to nitriles by hypochlorite.

Graphene oxide catalyzes oxidation by NaClO of primary benzyl and aliphatic amines to a product distribution comprising nitriles and imines. Nitriles are the sole product for long chain aliphatic amines. Spectroscopic characterization suggests that percarboxylic and perlactone groups could be the active sites of the process.