TiO2-coated graphene oxide-molybdate complex as a new separable nanocatalyst for the synthesis of pyrrole derivatives by Paal-Knorr reaction

The preparation of chemical and pharmaceutical compounds through organic reactions has always been associated with the production of environmental waste. Growth population and concerns about ecological pollution increase the interest in using heterogeneous solid catalysts with capabilities such as increasing reaction efficiency and reducing the production of by-products, as well as the ability to separate and reuse. To develop and benefit such catalysts as much as possible, in this study, using graphene oxide (GO) as a support, we succeeded in preparing a heterogeneous catalyst with a high contact surface, excellent performance, and recyclability. Graphene oxide nanosheets were synthesized according to Hummer’s method. hexamolybdate anions ([n-Bu4N]2[Mo6O19]) were placed on this support as a catalytically active site using linkers. The structure of this catalyst was confirmed by XRD, FT-IR, EDS, SEM, TEM, TGA, Raman, and nitrogen adsorption–desorption analyses, and it was used to produce pyrroles by the Paal-Knorr method. The performance of the synthesized nanocatalyst was satisfactory for all the derivatives studied. Recovery and reuse of GO@TiO2@(CH2)3N = Mo[Mo5O18] after catalytic reactions were examined. This catalyst could be quickly recovered by simple filtration and recycled ten times without significant loss of its catalytic activity.