Spinel Structured Copper Ferrite Nano Catalyst with Magnetic Recyclability for Oxidative Decarboxylation of Phenyl Acetic Acids

A simple, efficient and environmentally benign method has been discussed for the synthesis of aldehydes and ketones by the oxidative decarboxylation of phenylacetic acid under ligand free condition using simple, efficient, preparatively easy, magnetically recoverable and low cost spinel CuFe 2 O 4 nanoparticles. The catalyst was characterised using powder-XRD, FTIR, FE-SEM, EDX, VSM and HRTEM. The recyclability was examined and the results showed that the catalyst remained almost equally active up to five consecutive cycles. Graphic Abstract Spinel Structured Copper Ferrite is a very efficient nano catalyst for Oxidative decarboxylation of Phenyl acetic acids and can be reused up to five cycles without significant loss in catalytic activity.