Fe3O4/MIL-101(Fe) nanocomposite as an efficient and recyclable catalyst for Strecker reaction

A highly porous metal-organic framework, MIL-101(Fe), was prepared by a solvothermal method in the presence of amino-modified Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles, in order to achieve Fe3O4/MIL-101(Fe) nanocomposite, which was characterized by XRD, FT-IR, SEM, TEM, BET, and VSM. This hybrid magnetic nanocomposite was employed as heterogeneous catalyst for -amino nitriles synthesis through three-component condensation reaction of aldehydes (ketones), amines, and trimethylsilyl cyanide in EtOH, at room temperature. The recoverability and reusability was admitted for the heterogeneous magnetic catalyst; no significant reduction of catalytic activity was observed even after five consecutive reaction cycles.