Iron oxide nanoparticles were synthesized using Saururus chinensis (S. chinensis) leaf extract as a reducing and stabilizing agent via ultrasonication. The size, morphology, crystallinity, elemental composition, weight loss, surface chemical state, and magnetic properties of the synthesized nanoparticles were investigated. The synthesized nanoparticles were used as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of a variety of 2-methyl-4-substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives by the imino Diels-Alder reaction. After the reaction, the catalyst was recovered by an external magnetic field. The recovered catalyst was then reused in a subsequent reaction under identical conditions. The recycled iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) were reused five times without any significant loss of catalytic activity.
Keywords: Iron oxide nanoparticles, Saururus chinensis, Ferromagnetic, Imino Diels-Alder reactionCatalysts are crucial for green chemistry because they allow the development of synthetic steps to the desired products using sustainable resources 1,2 rather than polluting the environment using chemical processes. A vital property of catalysts is their ability to be recovered easily.3 Therefore, metal-nanoparticles are attractive catalysts because of their high selectivity, activity, and harmony with improved reusability. [4][5][6][7] Among the diverse properties of nanoparticles, the size, crystallinity, monodispersity, and elemental composition have a significant effect on the catalytic process. 8,9 Homogenous catalysts usually dissolve in reaction mixture, thus furnish more easily-accessible active catalytic sites, which results in mild reaction conditions and good selectivity. These catalysts, however, have very few usages due to the separating problems in the products contaminated with residuals and recycling is very expensive. The removal of catalysts from the reaction mixture is always demanding by numerous techniques. Over the past few decades, the use of iron-based catalysts in synthetic chemistry has increased rapidly 10 due to it being a relatively nontoxic and inexpensive element. In the general context of nanocatalysis, magnetic nanomaterials, in particular iron oxide nanoparticles, have attracted considerable attention as an inexpensive nanocatalyst that can be separated and recycled. 21 Catalytically active IONPs can be recovered easily from a reaction mixture using an external magnetic field or centrifugation.
22The tetrahydroquinoline moiety present in natural products exhibits a wide range of biological activities. [23][24][25] The imino Diels-Alder reaction between N-arylimines and dienophiles is a facile synthetic approach for the formation of nitrogencontaining heterocyclic compounds, including tetrahydroquinoline derivatives. [26][27][28] Although many methods for the synthesis of 2-methyl-4-substituted-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline derivatives have been reported, [29][30][31] there is still a demand for facile, less hazardous, cost efficient, and environmentally friendly catalysts. ...