Montmorillonite Nanoclay Interaction with 2-Aminophenol and 2-Nitrophenol

The interaction of 2-aminophenol and 2-nitrophenol compounds with the structural iron of montmorillonite nanoclay was studied using Mössbauer spectroscopy in order to determine what effects have the groups of withdrawing and donating electrons on the phenol ring and how they affect the nanoclay structural iron. 100 mg of the organic compound was dissolved in 50 ml distilled water in 100 ml volumetric flask. 1 gm of the montmorillonite nanoclay was added to this solution. At high pH, the reduction process involves electron transfer from the organic compounds to the active site at the iron atoms within the montmorillonite lattice. When phenolic molecules with an electron-donating group like 2-aminophenol are brought together with the montmorillonite in solution at a pH high enough to dissociate the proton of the hydroxyl group, electron transfer occurs from the phenolic compound to the active sites on the montmorillonite. The interaction process involves electron pushing from the hydroxyl on the organic compound having a donating group such as NH2, to the active site at the iron atoms inside the montmorillonite nanostructure.