Facile Chan-Lam coupling using ferrocene tethered N-heterocyclic carbene-copper complex anchored on graphene

Ferrocene tethered N-heterocyclic carbene-copper complex anchored on graphene ([GrFemImi]NHC@Cu complex) has been synthesized by covalent grafting of ferrocenyl ionic liquid in the matrix of graphene followed by metallation with copper (I) iodide. The [GrFemImi]NHC@Cu complex has been characterized by fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), fourier transform Raman (FT-Raman), CP-MAS C-13 NMR spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area analysis and X-ray diffractometer (XRD) analysis. This novel complex served as a robust heterogeneous catalyst for the synthesis of bioactive N-aryl sulfonamides from variety of aryl boronic acids and sulfonyl azides in ethanol by Chan-Lam coupling. Recyclability experiments were executed successfully for six consecutive runs.