A successful
homogeneous photoredox catalyst has been fruitfully heterogenized
on magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) coated with a silica layer, keeping
intact its homogeneous catalytic properties but gaining others due
to the easy magnetic separation and recyclability. The amine-terminated
magnetic silica nanoparticles linked noncovalently to H[3,3′-Co(1,2-C2B9H11)2]− (H[1]), termed MSNPs-NH2@H[1], are highly stable and do not produce any leakage of the photoredox
catalyst H[1] in water. The magnetite MNPs were coated
with SiO2 to provide colloidal stability and silanol groups
to be tethered to amine-containing units. These were the MSNPs-NH2 on which was anchored, in water, the cobaltabis(dicarbollide)
complex H[1] to obtain MSNPs-NH2@H[1]. Both MSNPs-NH2 and MSNPs-NH2@H[1] were evaluated to study the morphology, characterization, and colloidal
stability of the MNPs produced. The heterogeneous MSNP-NH2@H[1] system was studied for the photooxidation of alcohols,
such as 1-phenylethanol, 1-hexanol, 1,6-hexanediol, or cyclohexanol
among others, using catalyst loads of 0.1 and 0.01 mol %. Surfactants
were introduced to prevent the aggregation of MNPs, and cetyl trimethyl
ammonium chloride was chosen as a surfactant. This provided adequate
stability, without hampering quick magnetic separation. The results
proved that the catalysis could be speeded up if aggregation was prevented.
The recyclability of the catalytic system was demonstrated by performing
12 runs of the MSNPs-NH2@H[1] system, each
one without loss of selectivity and yield. The cobaltabis(dicarbollide)
catalyst supported on silica-coated magnetite nanoparticles has proven
to be a robust, efficient, and easily reusable system for the photooxidation
of alcohols in water, resulting in a green and sustainable heterogeneous
catalytic system.