Designing CoFe₂O₄/Cellulose@L‐aspargine‐Co Nanocomposite: An Ultra‐Efficient Recyclable Catalyst in the Quick Reduction of Nitro Compounds under Eco‐Friendly Conditions

Abstract

In this work, novel magnetic nanoparticles CoFe2O4/MCC (microcrystalline cellulose) @L‐aspargine‐Co have been synthesized via simple procedure and have been fully characterized using several techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (FE‐SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), X‐ray atomic mapping, powder X‐ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform spectroscopy infrared (FT‐IR) and coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP‐OES). The catalytic efficiency of this nanocatalyst has been examined in the eco‐friendly reduction of different substituted nitro compounds to corresponding amines with sodium borohydride (NaBH4). The reactions were conducted in water at room temperature with high turnover numbers (TON) and turnover frequencies (TOF). The nontoxic nature, green reaction conditions, short reaction times, simple work‐up method and elimination of by‐products are some advantages of this approach. This organometallic catalyst was successfully recycled for eight times without losing the catalytic efficiency.

Further Investigations into Imine-Mediated Formation of Allylic Nitro Compounds

“…As shown in Table 1, the best results were obtained employing either N,N-diethylethylendiamine (10) or 1-(2-aminoethyl)pyrrolidine (11) along with the initial catalyst 2 (Entries 1-3). During the investigation, the loss of catalyst 2 was observed through the characteristic odour noted in the aqueous layer collected in the Dean-Stark (also indicated by additional volume).…”