Immobilized chloroferrate ionic liquid: An efficient and reusable catalyst for synthesis of diphenylmethane and its derivatives

Chloroferrate ionic liquid was immobilized on mesoporous silica of MCM-41 via a two-steps process involving the synthesis of 1-trimethoxysilylpropyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-FeCl3 and successively grafting it onto siliceous MCM-41. In comparison with the 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-FeCl3 (BmimCl-FeCl3), the obtained catalyst showed much higher efficiency in Friedel-Crafts benzylation reaction. More importantly, such immobilized ionic liquid could be reused without significant loss of catalytic activity.