Designing of a magnetically separable Fe₃O₄@dopa@ML nano-catalyst for multiple organic transformations (epoxidation, reduction, and coupling) in aqueous medium

Abstract

A copper(II) macrocyclic Schiff base complex (ML) was synthesized by condensation between 2,2-dimethylpropane-1,3-diammine and 2,6-diformyl-4-butylphenol with the aim to modify the surface of widely used magnetically separable nanocatalyst Fe₃O₄@dopa. ML was characterized by physicochemical techniques and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The newly synthesized heterogeneous catalyst Fe₃O₄@dopa@ML was characterized by SEM, TEM, PXRD, EDX, TGA, etc. ML showed stability in aqueous medium and utilizing this unique property, the heterogeneous catalyst Fe₃O₄@dopa@ML was used for catalyzing epoxidation, nitroarene reduction and C–C coupling (Henry reaction) in aqueous medium. The separation method of the prepared nano-catalyst is very easy and can be done with an external magnetic field. The experimental findings suggest that Fe₃O₄@dopa@ML is a versatile “green catalyst.”

Graphical Abstract

Keywords:

• Copper(II) macrocyclic complex
• magnetic nanoparticles
• epoxidation
• nitroarene reduction
• C–C coupling

Acknowledgments

SD is thankful to CSIR for providing fellowship. The authors wish to thank CRNN, University of Calcutta for providing facilities for research.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support by the Department of Higher Education, Science & Technology and Biotechnology, Government of West Bengal `emo No. 21(Sanc.)/ST/P/S&T/15G-16/2017 dt. 12-06-2018] is gratefully acknowledged by TC.