Reversible functionalization and exfoliation of graphite by a Diels-Alder reaction with furfuryl amine.

Furfuryl amine-functionalized few-layered graphene was prepared a mechanochemical process by a [4 + 2] cycloaddition under solvent-free conditions. By employing ball milling, active sites are merged mostly at the edge of the graphene sheets which makes them prone to Diels-Alder click reactions (D-A) in the presence of a diene precursor. Consequently, one-pot grafting with furfuryl amine onto the graphene sheets, exfoliates pristine graphite resulting in functionalized few-layered graphene which is soluble in organic solvents.