Magnetically recyclable nanocatalyst systems for the organic reactions

The further development of the catalytic system will require advanced materials that can selectively catalyze the specific chemical reactions with a high reactivity and be recycled through the simple separation and regeneration process. The superparamagnetic nanoparticles, whose flocculation and dispersion can be reversibly controlled by applying a magnetic field, was recently employed in the catalytic applications and received the immense attractions as a new type of the recyclable support matrix. In the absence of the external magnetic field, superparamagnetic nanoparticles can be well dispersed in a reaction solution, providing large surface area which can be readily accessed by substrate molecules. And, after completing the reactions, they can be efficiently isolated from the product solution through simple magnetic separation process. In this review, we discuss the catalytic system devised by employing superparamagnetic nanoparticles as a support and their performance in catalyzing various organic reactions. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.