AuFeAg hybrid nanoparticles as an efficient recyclable catalyst for the synthesis of α,β- and β,β-dichloroenones

Abstract

A facile and green pioneer approach for the synthesis of stable trimetallic AuFeAg hybrid nanoparticles is described. This synthetic method is green-chemistry compatible and totally free of additives. The particle shape and size, surface chemistry, crystallinity, elemental composition, thermal and magnetic properties were investigated. The catalytic performance of the synthesized nanoparticles is also described. The hybrid nanocatalyst exhibited strong catalytic activity for the synthesis of α,β- and β,β-dichloroenones, which are important synthetic intermediates in the preparation of natural products. The reason behind the catalytic performance of nano sized hybrid particles was attributed to their high specific surface area. In addition, the nanocatalyst was easy to separate from the reaction mixture using an external magnet and could be reused for five consecutive reactions without any significant loss of activity. Using the present method, the trimetallic hybrid combination can be designed for similar types of catalytic reactions.