Shape-dependent catalytic activity of Fe3O4 nanostructures under the influence of an external magnetic field for multicomponent reactions in aqueous media

Abstract

High-quality and high-active one-dimensional (1-D) Fe₃O₄ nanostructures were synthesized via an external magnetic field (EMF) at the intensity range 0–526 μT in aqueous solution, without using any surfactant and organic solvent at room temperature. Characterization of the products was carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FT-IR), a laser particle size analyzer, surface area (Brunauer–Emmett–Teller, BET), and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results show that EMF at a critical adjusted intensity has a great influence on the structural features such as the morphology, particle size, surface pore size distribution, and magnetic properties of the Fe₃O₄ nanostructure. The morphology changed from peg-like network structures to needle-like cage structures by an exposure synthesis treatment with EMF at an intensity of 362 μT. The catalytic activity of two nanostructures prepared in the presence and absence of EMF were compared in a tricomponents reaction (TCR) for the synthesis of trisubstituted imidazoles under electromagnetic irradiation. The best results were obtained for the catalyst produced in the presence of EMF while the tricomponent reaction was carried out in the absence of EMF. This EMF condition was used for the preparation of a series of alkyl-, aryl-, and heteroaryl-substituted imidazoles from the corresponding benzoin and benzil in aqueous solution as green reaction conditions. It was found that the catalyst can be efficiently recycled and reused for several repeating cycles without significant loss of catalytic activity.