Biodiesel and adipic acid production using molybdenum(VI) complex of a bis(phenol) diamine ligand supported on Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles

Abstract

• Mo(VI)-dioxo complex of bis(phenol) diamine supported on Fe 3 O 4 was synthesized. • Efficient trans esterification reaction of cooking oil to biodiesel was performed. • The reaction was investigated at room temperature and low mole ratio of MeoH:oil. • The catalyst performed conversion of cyclohexene to adipic acid under mild condition. • The catalyst showed stability, recovery and reusability after some cycles. A homogeneous Mo(VI)-dioxo complex including tetradentate bis(phenol) diamine ligand covalently grafted onto amine-functionalized heterogeneous magnetic nanoparticles has been synthesized. We further characterized this new catalyst using the TEM, SEM, FTIR, TGA, VSM, XPS, XRD, EDX, NH 3 -TDP, BET, and elemental analysis techniques. The resulting solid material’s ability was inspected in the transesterification reaction of cooking oil to biodiesel. The study demonstrates a novel and green biodiesel production by means of cooperation of Lewis acidic core of molybdenum-based homogenized heterogeneous catalyst and trace amounts of alkaline KOH for methanol activation. Applying the advantages of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalytic properties leads to the 99% conversion of produced biodiesel under pretty mild reaction conditions comprising 2.3 mol% of catalyst, 0.05 mmol of KOH, methanol/oil molar ratio 3:1, time of 45 min at room temperature. The generated biodiesel was identified using 1 H NMR, FTIR, and GC–MS. In addition, the industrially indispensable oxidative conversion of cyclohexene to adipic acid over heterogeneous molybdenum(VI)-dioxo-involved catalyst was investigated under optimized conditions (1 mmol cyclohexene, 60 mg catalyst, 5 eq H 2 O 2 , time 13 h at 80 °C) and 68% of pure adipic acid was yielded. Furthermore, our studies show the structural and morphological stability of the catalyst and its nice reusability after 5 and 11 cycles for oxygen atom transfer and transesterification reactions, respectively.