Zn3(BTC)2 as a Highly Efficient Reusable Catalyst for the Synthesis of 2‐Aryl‐1H‐Benzimidazole

Zn₃(BTC)₂ metal‐organic frameworks as recyclable and heterogeneous catalysts were effectively used to catalyze the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives from o‐phenylendiamine and aldehydes in ethanol. This method provides 2‐aryl‐1H‐benzimidazoles in good to excellent yields with little catalyst loading. The catalyst was characterized using different techniques such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy.     

CoFe2O4@SiO2‐CPTES‐Guanidine‐Cu(II): A novel and reusable nanocatalyst for the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐ones and polyhydroquinolines and oxidation of sulfides

CoFe₂O₄@SiO₂‐CPTES‐Guanidine‐Cu(II) magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized and used as a new, inexpensive and efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of polyhydroquinolines and 2,3‐dihydroquinazoline‐4(1H)‐ones and for the oxidation of sulfides. The structure of this nanocatalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry. Simple preparation, high catalytic activity, simple operation, high yields, use of green solvents, easy magnetic separation and reusability of the catalyst are some of the advantages of this protocol.     

Cu(II) immobilized on Fe3O4–diethylenetriamine: A new magnetically recoverable catalyst for the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐ones and oxidative coupling of thiols

Cu(II) immobilized on Fe₃O₄–diethylenetriamine was designed as a new, inexpensive and efficient heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H )‐ones and the oxidative coupling of thiols. The structure of the nanomagnetic catalyst was comprehensively characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, thermogravimetric analysis, X‐ray diffraction and atomic absorption spectroscopy. Simple preparation of the catalyst from commercially available materials, high catalytic activity, simple operation, high yields, use of green solvents, easy magnetic separation and reusability of the catalyst with unaltered activity make our protocol a green and feasible synthetic strategy.     

Application of the Fe3O4@1,10‐phenanthroline‐5,6‐diol@Mn nano‐catalyst for the green synthesis of tetrazoles and its biological performance

The Fe₃O₄ magnetic particles were modified with 1,10‐phenanthroline‐5,6‐diol (Phen) and the related Mn complex (Fe₃O₄@Phen@Mn) synthesized as a heterogeneous catalyst to be used for the one‐pot three‐component synthesis of various tetrazoles. The catalysts were characterized by several methods, such as the elemental analysis, FT‐IR, X‐ray powder diffraction, dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric‐differential thermal analysis, vibrating sample magnetometer and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. In addition, the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of the catalyst and its Phen ligand were in vitro screened with 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl by free radical scavenging methods. Results showed that the synthesized compounds possess strong antioxidant activity (IC50; 0.172  ±  0.005 mg ml^?1) as well as a good antibacterial potential in comparison to standards.     

Fe3O4‐supported Schiff‐base copper (II) complex: A valuable heterogeneous nanocatalyst for one‐pot synthesis of new pyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine‐3‐carboxamide derivatives

A novel Cu (II) Schiff‐base complex immobilized on core‐shell magnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄@SPNC) was successfully designed and synthesized. The structural features of these nanoparticles were studied and confirmed by using various techniques including FT‐IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), X‐Ray diffraction (XRD), wavelength dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (WDX), and inductively coupled plasma (ICP). These newly synthesized nanoparticles have been used as efficient heterogeneous catalytic system for one‐pot multicomponent synthesis of new pyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine‐3‐carboxamide derivatives. Notably, the catalyst could be easily separated from the reaction mixture by using an external magnet and reused for several successive reaction runs with no significant loss of activity or copper leaching. The present protocol benefits from a hitherto unreported MNPs‐immobilized Cu (II) Schiff‐base complex as an efficient nanocatalyst for the synthesis of newly reported derivatives of pyrano[2,3‐b]pyridine‐3‐carboxamide from one‐pot multicomponent reactions.     

Heterogeneous CuII‐Catalysed Solvent‐Controlled Selective N‐Arylation of Cyclic Amides and Amines with Bromo‐iodoarenes

A selective N‐arylation of cyclic amides and amines in DMF and water, respectively, catalysed by Cu^II/Al₂O₃ has been achieved. This protocol has been employed for the synthesis of a library of arenes bearing a cyclic amide and an amine moiety at two ends, including a few scaffolds of therapeutic importance. The mechanism has been established based on detailed electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) and inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) studies of the catalyst at different stages of the reaction. The Cu^II/Al₂O₃ catalyst was recovered and recycled for subsequent reactions.     

N‐heterocyclic carbene–palladium(II) complex supported on magnetic mesoporous silica for Heck cross‐coupling reaction

Magnetic mesoporous silica was prepared via embedding magnetite nanoparticles between channels of mesoporous silica (SBA‐15). The prepared composite (Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐SBA) was then reacted with 3‐chloropropyltriethoxysilane, sodium imidazolide and 2‐bromopyridine to give 3‐(pyridin‐2‐yl)‐1H‐imidazol‐3‐iumpropyl‐functionalized Fe₃O₄@SiO₂‐SBA as a supported pincer ligand for Pd(II). The functionalized magnetic mesoporous silica was further reacted with [PdCl₂(SMe₂)₂] to produce a supported N‐heterocyclic carbene–Pd(II) complex. The obtained catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface area measurement and X‐ray diffraction. The amount of the loaded complex was 80.3 mg g^?1, as calculated through thermogravimetric analysis. The formation of the ordered mesoporous structure of SBA‐15 was confirmed using low‐angle X‐ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Also, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the Pd(II) complex on the magnetic support. The prepared magnetic catalyst was then effectively used in the coupling reaction of olefins with aryl halides, i.e. the Heck reaction, in the presence of a base. The reaction parameters, such as solvent, base, temperature, amount of catalyst and reactant ratio, were optimized by choosing the coupling reaction of 1‐bromonaphthalene and styrene as a model Heck reaction. N‐Methylpyrrolidone as solvent, 0.25 mol% catalyst, K₂CO₃ as base, reaction temperature of 120°C and ultrasonication of the catalyst for 10 min before use provided the best conditions for the Heck cross‐coupling reaction. The best results were observed for aryl bromides and iodides while aryl chlorides were found to be less reactive. The catalyst exhibited noticeable stability and reusability.     

A three‐component process for the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐one derivatives using nanosized nickel aluminate spinel crystals as highly efficient catalysts

NiAl₂O₄ spinel nanocrystals were synthesized as mesoporous catalysts and were fully characterized using Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), X‐ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS). These nanocrystals catalyzed the synthesis of 2,3‐dihydroquinazolin‐4(1H)‐one derivatives via a one‐pot, three‐component condensation reaction of aromatic aldehydes, isatoic anhydride, and ammonium acetate or primary aromatic amine under microwave irradiation. By far, the most obvious advantages of the offered process are efficiency and recyclability of the catalyst as well as a significantly shorter reaction time.     

Hollow and Yolk‐Shell Iron Oxide Nanostructures on Few‐Layer Graphene in Li‐Ion Batteries

We report a simple and template‐free strategy for the synthesis of hollow and yolk‐shell iron oxide (FeO_x) nanostructures sandwiched between few‐layer graphene (FLG) sheets. The morphology and microstructure of this material are characterized in detail by X‐ray diffraction, X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Its properties are evaluated as negative electrode material for Li‐ion batteries and compared with those of solid FeO_x/FLG and two commercial iron oxides. In all cases, the content of carbon in the electrode has a great influence on the performance. The use of pristine FLG improves the capacity retention and further enhancement is achieved with the hollow structure. For a low carbon loading of 18 wt. %, the presence of metallic iron in the hollow and yolk‐shell FeO_x/FLG composite significantly enhances the capacity retention, albeit with a relatively lower initial reversible capacity, retaining above 97 % after 120 cycles at 1000 mA g^?1 in the voltage range of 0.1–3.0 V.     

Dendrimer‐encapsulated Cu(Π) nanoparticles immobilized on superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles as a novel recyclable catalyst for N‐arylation of nitrogen heterocycles and green synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles

In this study, dendrimer‐encapsulated Cu(Π) nanoparticles immobilized on superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared via a multistep‐synthesis. Then, the synthesized composite was fully characterized by various techniques such as fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction (XRD), dynamic light scattering (DLS), UV‐vis spectroscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray analysis (EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and vibration sample magnetometer (VSM). From the information gained by FE‐SEM and TEM studies it can be inferred that the particles are mostly spherical in shape and have an average size of 50 nm. Also, the amount of Cu is determined to be 0.51 mmol/g in the catalyst by inductively coupled plasma (ICP) analyzer. This magnetic nano‐compound has been successfully applied as a highly efficient, magnetically recoverable and stable catalyst for N‐arylation of nitrogen heterocycles with aryl halides (I, Br) and arylboronic acids without using external ligands or additives. The catalyst was also employed in a one‐pot, three‐component reaction for the efficient and green synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles using various aldehydes, hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sodium azide in water. The magnetic catalyst can be easily separated by an external magnet bar and is recycled seven times without significant loss of its activity.     

Design and preparation of ZnS‐ZnFe2O4: a green and efficient hybrid nanocatalyst for the multicomponent synthesis of 2,4,5‐triaryl‐1H‐imidazoles

In the present work, a new protocol was introduced for the preparation of an efficient hybrid nanocatalyst ZnS‐ZnFe₂O₄ via the co‐precipitation method as well as its application in the synthesis of 2,4,5‐triaryl‐1H‐imidazoles derivatives starting from various aromatic aldehydes, benzil and ammonium acetate under ultrasonic irradiation in ethanol. ZnS‐ZnFe₂O₄ was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDS) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image, X‐ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) curve. This method has advantages such as high efficiency of the heterogeneous catalyst, the use of environmentally‐friendly solvent, high yields, short reaction times and easy isolation of the products and chromatography‐free purification. Our outcomes illustrated that the present nanocatalyst with nearly spherical and Cauliflower‐like morphology and average particle size of 36 nm could be applied as an effective and magnetically recyclable catalyst without any significant decreasing of activity. Furthermore, the synergic effect of bimetallic Lewis acids was studied for the synthesis of imidazole derivatives.     

Magnetic‐based picolinaldehyde–melamine copper complex for the one‐pot synthesis of hexahydroquinolines via Hantzsch four‐component reactions

A picolinaldehyde–melamine copper complex was loaded on a magnetic Fe₃O₄ core, so that it contained 0.33 mmol of Cu per gram, and was used as an efficient catalyst. The as‐synthesized catalyst was characterized using various techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and thermogravimetric analysis. The catalyst was used to activate the raw materials in the synthesis of hexahydroquinoline derivatives in one‐pot four‐component reactions. Low reaction time (minutes versus half an hour), solvent‐free condition and magnetically separable catalyst are some salient features of the developed catalyst. Also, the optimum amount of catalyst and temperature were determined as 0.07 g and 87.6 °C, respectively, which were obtained using response surface methodology and optimization techniques.     

CuI heterogenized on thiosemicarbazide modified‐multi walled carbon nanotubes (thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI): Novel heterogeneous and reusable nanocatalyst in the C‐N Ullmann coupling reactions

Herein we described the synthesis of novel thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI nanocatalyst by covalent grafting of thiosemicarbazide on carbon nanotubes surface and subsequent coordination with CuI catalyst. The formation of nanocatalyst was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), wavelength‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (WDX) and ICP analysis. The morphology of the nanocatalyst was characterized using scanning and transmission electron microscopes (SEM and TEM). Additionally, the (thiosemicarbazide‐MWCNTs‐CuI) nanocatalyst was successfully employed in the N ‐arylation of indole, amines and imidazoles through intermolecular C(aryl)‐N bond formation from the corresponding aryl halides (Ar–I, Ar–Br, Ar–Cl) with amines through Ullmann‐type coupling reactions. Interestingly, the novel catalyst could be recovered and recycled five times.     

Synthesis and characterization of a novel organic–inorganic hybrid salt and its application as a highly effectual Brønsted–Lewis acidic catalyst for the production of N,N′‐alkylidene bisamides

In this research, a novel organic–inorganic hybrid salt, namely, N¹,N¹,N²,N²‐tetramethyl‐N¹,N²‐bis(sulfo)ethane‐1,2‐diaminium tetrachloroferrate ([TMBSED][FeCl₄]₂) was prepared and characterized by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), elemental mapping, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), X‐ray diffraction (XRD), thermal gravimetric (TG), differential thermal gravimetric (DTG), and vibrating‐sample magnetometry (VSM) analyses. Catalytic activity of the hybrid salt was tested for the synthesis of N,N′‐alkylidene bisamides through the reaction of benzamide (2 eq.) and aromatic aldehydes (1 eq.) under solvent‐free conditions in which the products were obtained in high yields and short reaction times. The catalyst was superior to many of the reported catalysts in terms of two or more of these factors: the reaction medium and temperature, yield, time, and turnover frequency (TOF). [TMBSED][FeCl₄]₂ is a Brønsted–Lewis acidic catalyst; there are two SO₃H groups (as Brønsted acidic sites) and two tetrachloroferrate anions (as Lewis acidic sites) in its structure. Highly effectiveness of the catalyst for the synthesis of N,N′‐alkylidene bisamides can be attributed to synergy of the Brønsted and Lewis acids and also possessing two sites of each acid.     

A Simple Synthesis of Polyfunctionalized 4‐Aminopyrazolidin‐3‐ones as ‘Aza‐deoxa’ Analogs of D‐Cycloserine

A simple five‐step synthesis of fully substituted (4RS,5RS)‐4‐aminopyrazolidin‐3‐ones as analogs of D ‐cycloserine was developed. It comprises a two‐step preparation of 5‐substituted (4RS,5RS)‐4‐(benzyloxycarbonylamino)pyrazolidin‐3‐ones, reductive alkylation at N(1), alkylation of the amidic N(2) with alkyl halides, and simultaneous hydrogenolytic deprotection/reductive alkylation of the primary NH₂ group. The synthesis enables an easy stepwise functionalization of the pyrazolidin‐3‐one core with only two types of common reagents, aldehydes (or ketones) and alkyl halides. The structures of products were elucidated by NMR spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction.     

Mn‐[4‐Chlorophenyl‐Salicylaldimine‐Methylpyranopyrazole]Cl2 as a Novel Nanostructured Schiff Base Complex and Catalyst

Mn‐[4‐chlorophenyl‐salicylaldimine‐methylpyranopyrazole]Cl₂ ([Mn‐4CSMP ]Cl₂) as nano‐Schiff base complex was prepared and fully characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, thermal gravimetric analysis, derivative thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis, and UV–vis spectroscopy. The reactivity of nano‐[Mn‐4CSMP ]Cl₂ as a catalyst was tested on the tandem cyclocondensation–Knoevenagel condensation–Michael reaction between phenylhydrazine and ethyl acetoacetate with various aromatic aldehydes to give 4,4′‐(arylmethylene)‐bis‐(3‐methyl‐1‐phenyl‐1H ‐pyrazol‐5‐ol)s derivatives.     

One‐pot synthesis of 1‐ and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles using 1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) supported on superparamagnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 magnetic porous nanospheres as a recyclable catalyst

An effective one‐pot, convenient process for the synthesis of 1‐ and 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles from nitriles and amines is described using1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) supported on Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ magnetic porous nanospheres as a novel recyclable catalyst. The application of this catalyst allows the synthesis of a variety of tetrazoles in good to excellent yields. The preparation of the magnetic nanocatalyst with core–shell structure is presented by using nano‐Fe₃O₄ as the core, tetraethoxysilane as the silica source and poly(vinyl alcohol) as the surfactant, and then Fe₃O₄@SiO₂ was coated with 1,4‐dihydroxyanthraquinone–copper(II) nanoparticles. The new catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetric analysis, vibration sample magnetometry, X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, nitrogen adsorption–desorption isotherm analysis and inductively coupled plasma analysis. This new procedure offers several advantages such as short reaction times, excellent yields, operational simplicity, practicability and applicability to various substrates and absence of any tedious workup or purification. In addition, the excellent catalytic performance, thermal stability and separation of the catalyst make it a good heterogeneous system and a useful alternative to other heterogeneous catalysts. Also, the catalyst could be magnetically separated and reused six times without significant loss of catalytic activity. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of Nanosized Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4 Spinel Ferrite as a Nanocatalyst in the Synthesis of 14‐Aryl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthene Derivatives under Solvent‐free Conditions

Copper and cobalt substituted spinel ferrites Cu_1‐xCo_xFe₂O₄ (0≤X≤1) have been synthesized by using hydrothermal method. The resultant spinel ferrites were systematically characterized by different techniques such as X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). It was indicated that all the resultant spinel ferrites obtained by the hydrothermal method had the single‐phase crystalline. The resultant spinel ferrites were employed in the synthesis of 14‐aryl‐14‐H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthene derivatives. It was found that the nanocatalyst Cu_0.5Co_0.5Fe₂O₄ displays the best performance in the synthesis of 14‐aryl‐14H‐dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes. The catalyst was reused several times without significant loss of its activity for the preparation of desired product. In addition high yields of the products, solvent‐free conditions and reusability of the catalyst are other worthwhile advantages of the present study.     

Anchoring Ni (II) on Fe3O4@tryptophan: A recyclable,green and extremely efficient magnetic nanocatalyst for one‐pot synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles and chemoselective oxidation of sulfides and thiols

A green, novel and extremely efficient nanocatalyst was successfully synthesized by the immobilization of Ni as a transition metal on Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles coated with tryptophan. This nanostructured material was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry and X‐ray diffraction. The prepared nanocatalyst was applied for the oxidation of sulfides, oxidative coupling of thiols and synthesis of 5‐substituted 1H‐tetrazoles. The use of non‐toxic, green and inexpensive materials, easy separation of magnetic nanoparticles from a reaction mixture using a magnetic field, efficient and one‐pot synthesis, and high yields of products are the most important advantages of this nanocatalyst.     

A new nano‐Fe3O4‐supported organocatalyst based on 3,4‐dihydroxypyridine: an efficient heterogeneous nanocatalyst for one‐pot synthesis of pyrazolo[3,4‐b]pyridines and pyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidines

A simple and practical strategy for the synthesis of a novel nano‐Fe₃O₄‐supported organocatalyst system based on 3,4‐dihydroxypyridine (Fe₃O₄/Py) has been developed. The prepared catalyst was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission and scanning electron microscopies, X‐ray diffraction, vibrating sample magnetometry and energy‐dispersive X‐ray analysis. Accordingly, the Fe₃O₄/Py nanoparticles show a superparamagnetic property with a saturation magnetization of 61 emu g^?1, indicating potential application in magnetic separation technology. Our experimental results reveal that the pyridine‐functionalized Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles are an efficient base catalyst for the domino condensation of various aromatic aldehydes, Meldrum's acid and 5‐methylpyrazol‐3‐amine under very mild reaction condition and in the presence of ethanol solvent. Moreover, the synthesized catalyst was used for one‐pot, three‐component condensation of aromatic aldehydes with barbituric acid and malononitrile to produce 7‐amino‐2,4‐dioxo‐5‐phenyl‐2,3,4,5‐tetrahydro‐1H‐pyrano[2,3‐d]pyrimidine‐6‐carbonitriles. All reactions are completed in short times and all products are obtained in good to excellent yields. Also, notably, the catalyst was reused five times without significant degradation in catalytic activity and performance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.