Bicatalytic Cupric Metal–Organic Framework Nanosheets for Self-Cascade Conversion of Methyl Parathion to 4-Aminophenol

Methyl parathion (MP) is a typical organophosphate pesticide widely used in agriculture, causing serious pollution. MP hydrolysis generates a toxic 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) with environmental risks, but a subsequent reduction of 4-NP produces a nontoxic 4-aminophenol (4-AP), which serves as a resource for further use in chemical synthesis. Thus, the detoxification and resourcilization of MP are of great significance for environmental remediation and sustainable development. However, most reports on MP cascade conversion require two different catalysts, each of which is single-catalytic. Herein, we report the first self-cascade nanocatalyst with bicatalytic activities of hydrolysis and reduction based on cupric metal–organic framework (Cu-AZB) nanosheets for the conversion of MP to 4-AP. It was found that Cu-AZB could completely convert MP to 4-AP in the presence of NaBH4 within 10 min. Moreover, hydrolysis was 19-fold accelerated by the NaBH4-mediated reduction in the self-cascade catalysis, so a catalyst with a high cascade conversion efficiency against MP with an activity factor of 513.2 min–1 g–1, a reaction rate constant of 0.25 min–1, and a half-life of 2.82 min was achieved, which was more efficient than literature-reported cascade catalysts. The results demonstrated the application potential of the bicatalytic Cu-AZB in the complete detoxification and conversion of the toxic pollutant into a nontoxic resource through one-pot cascade catalysis.