Iron(III) Amine Bis(phenolate) Complex Immobilized on Silica-Coated Magnetic Nanoparticles: A Highly Efficient Catalyst for the Oxidation of Alcohols and Sulfides

We aimed to immobilize a complex of iron(III) amine bis(phenolate) on silica-coated magnetic nanoparticles as a new magnetically recoverable catalyst (Fe3O4@SiO2-APTES-FeLGDC). Both the chemical nature and the structure of catalyst were confirmed by using field-emission transmission electron microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, vibrating sample magnetometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, XRD, atomic absorption spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. This sustainable catalyst leads to the efficient oxidation of a wide range of alcohols and sulfides with excellent conversion and selectivity under a mild conditions to their corresponding oxidized products, acids (or ketones) and sulfoxides, respectively. Furthermore, the stability of the structure and morphology of our efficient recyclable system was investigated, and all of the data proved that the complex was anchored firmly to the magnetite nanoparticles.