Dual functional novel catalytic Cu1−xZrxFe2O4 (x=0, 0.5, 1) nanoparticles for synthesis of polysubstituted pyridines and sunlight‐driven degradation of methylene blue

The effect of varied zirconium content on the structural, morphological, magnetic, optical, thermal and catalytic properties of nanoparticles of the ferrite Cu_1 ? xZr_xFe₂O₄ (x = 0, 0.5, 1) was investigated. The mixed ferrite was synthesized by the auto‐combustion method using nitrates of respective metals and citric acid as a chelating agent. The as‐prepared nanoparticles showed dual benefits. They were employed as a heterogeneous catalyst for one‐pot synthesis of polysubstituted pyridine derivatives as well as for catalytic degradation of industrial waste dyes such as methylene blue (MB). The highlight of the research reported is the catalytic degradation of industrial waste (MB) with high efficiency in eluent of a wide range of pH (3–13). The proposed nanoparticles arguably offer certain great advantages that include: low cost, facile nature, anti‐leaching property, magnetic recoverability and recyclability. The characterization of the as‐synthesized nanoparticles was done using various techniques. The leaching study was carried out using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. The formation of organic products was confirmed using Fourier transform infrared and ¹H NMR spectroscopies and examination of degradation products of MB dye was carried out using mass spectrometry and UV–visible spectroscopy.     

Sucrose chelated auto combustion synthesis of BiFeO3 nanoparticles: Magnetically recoverable catalyst for the one‐pot synthesis of polyhydroquinoline

Sucrose chelated Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃) nanoparticles as a novel heterogeneous catalyst was synthesized by an auto combustion route. Different calcination temperatures (150 °C, 450 °C, 550 °C, 650 °C, 750 °C and 850 °C) have been employed to obtain single phased BiFeO₃ nanoparticles. The perovskite structure formation and disappearance of organic phase (sucrose) was obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). Phase determination and structural characterization was carried out by powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The magnetic properties were analyzed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) whereas surface area/pore volume was obtained by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET). Transmission electron microscope (TEM) analyzed the particles size and morphology. Thermal stability was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and determination of constituent elements was carried out by X‐ray Photo‐Electron Spectroscopy (XPS). Raman spectroscopy confirmed the perovskite structure of the synthesized materials. The BiFeO₃ nanoparticles so obtained were employed as heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives. All the polyhydroquinoline derivatives were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (¹H NMR). For the very first time ever we have used BiFeO₃ as a recyclable magnetic nanocatalyst in the one‐pot four component cyclization reaction of benzaldehyde, ethylacetoacetate/methylacetoacetate, dimedone/cyclohexane‐1,3‐dione, and ammonium acetate for the synthesis of polyhydroquinoline derivatives without solvent under refluxing conditions to provide excellent yields of products. BiFeO₃ nanocatalyst (without any functionalization/surface coatings) shows easy magnetic separation, recyclability, reusability along with excellent yield of polyhydroquinoline derivatives in an economic and benign way.