Synthesis of graphene oxide supported copper–cobalt ferrite material functionalized by arginine amino acid as a new high–performance catalyst

Abstract

A novel Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4@Arg–GO catalytic system was successfully prepared by immobilization of copper substituted cobalt ferrite nanoparticles on arginine–grafted graphene oxide nanosheets, in which ferrite moiety acts as an oxidation catalyst and arginine has the role of base catalyst. Also, arginine amino acid was used to modify the surface of graphene oxide nanosheets which the prepared support can improve dispersion and uniform loading of nanoparticles. The prepared nanocomposite was characterized by flame atomic absorption spectroscopy (FAAS), inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometer (ICP–OES), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT–IR), ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy (UV–vis), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), x–ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis. The prepared Cu0.5Co0.5Fe2O4@Arg–GO nanocomposite was used as an efficient catalyst for one–pot tandem oxidative synthesis of 2–phenylbenzimidazole derivatives in good yields.