Biosynthesis, characterization and catalytic activity of Cu/RGO/Fe3O4 for direct cyanation of aldehydes with K4[Fe(CN)6]

Abstract

This work reports the green synthesis of the Cu/reduced graphene oxide/Fe₃O₄ (Cu/RGO/Fe₃O₄) nanocomposite as a new catalytic system for cyanation of aldehydes to nitriles. This nanocomposite catalytic system was synthesized by aqueous extract of leaves of Euphorbia bungei Boiss as a reducing and stabilizing agent. Various substituted aryl nitrile were prepared under optimized conditions and providing moderate to excellent yields. In this process the catalyst exhibited a strong magnet response and could be easily separated by an external magnet and reused with no loss of catalytic activity.

Keywords: Aldehyde; Cu/RGO/Fe(3)O(4) nanocomposite; Cyanation; Euphorbia bungei Boiss; K(4)[Fe(CN)(6)].