A Novel Recyclable Ni/Cu/Fe Termetallic Nanocatalyst for the Synthesis of Propargylamines through the A3-Coupling Reactions

A novel Ni/Cu/Fe nanocatalyst was prepared via a three-step procedure for the A(3)-coupling reaction of an aldehyde, an amine, and a terminal alkyne to synthesize the corresponding propargylamine. Oleic acid was used in the second step to avoid aggregation of CuFe2O4 nanoparticles. The prepared NiO/OA-CuFe2O4 (Ni/Cu/Fe) was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/wavelength dispersive X-ray (SEM/WDX), particle size analyzer, fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). A variety of propargylamines was synthesized using a very small amount of this efficient and inexpensive nanocatalyst in toluene as the solvent at 100 degrees C. Due to high magnetic properties of the prepared catalyst, its isolation and recycle were very easy, and it was used in five repetitive cycles.