Nano n-Propylsulfonated Magnetic γ-Fe2O3 as an Efficient and Reusable Catalyst for the Synthesis O-Isopropylidene Derivatives of Carbohydrates

Abstract

Nano n-propylsulfonated γ-Fe2O3 was found to be a highly efficient, reusable heterogeneous catalyst for the conversion of a range of monosaccharides and some of their derivatives to the corresponding O-isopropylidene derivatives in good to excellent yields by refluxing the reaction mixture in dry acetone. The magnetic property of the catalyst enabled its separation from the reaction mixture by a simple process of filtration along with the aid of an external magnet. The efficiency of the catalyst was found to be largely unaffected for at least up to six cycles of reuse, thus proving the new methodology to be environmentally rewarding besides being simple and facile in operation.