Identification and quantification of phyto-constituents of wild Moraceae-Ficus palmata Forssk and its implication as synthesizing fuel for biomimetic nanomaterials

Abstract

In the present times, low cost and greener biogenic synthesis of nanomaterials is considered as an alternative to the chemical synthesis, but in depth mechanism and the incorporated phytochemicals in the synthesized material still need to be investigated. In this regard, here we have investigated the phyto-compounds of Ficus palmata Forssk (Moraceae) leaves to develop an organic framework for the synthesis and functionalization of metal oxide nanoparticles. A simple procedure was followed to identify F. palmata leaf’s organic compounds by reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy (GC–MS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The chromatographic analysis revealed the presences of dl-3-aminobutyric acid, octodrine, alanine, azabicyclo, aminonadecane, 2-pentadecen-4-yne and cyclobutanol in the F. palmata. Subsequently, the identified phytochemicals were employed as source of organic species for synthesis of metal oxide nanoparticles (MoO3 NPs) by hydrothermal route. The investigated aqueous extract was made to react with ammonium heptamolybdate tetrahydrate-H4MO7N6O24.4H2O (AHM) aqueous complex to procure phyto-functionalized MoO3 NPs. The phase purity and nanostructures of synthesized MoO3 were analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and field emission-scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). GC–MS demonstrated the presence of four organic compounds (dimethylamine, d-alanine, octodrine and benzenemethanol) in the synthesized MoO3 NPs. Therefore, the findings of the present research have successfully revealed the organic species of F. palmata and their incorporation into MoO3 NPs by simple, and cost effective inorganic–organic framework leading to the greener sample preparation and analytical methods.