Synthesis of Highly Porous Mn2O3-Doped Fe3O4 NPs with a Dual Catalytic Function Using Asymmetric Water Soluble Mn-Salen Complex as a Reducing Agent and Template: Catalytic Activity over One-Pot Strecker Synthesis from Alcohols in Recyclable TAIm[CN] Ionic Liquid

An asymmetric Mn/TEMPO-Salen complex was utilized as a reducing agent and template for the synthesis of Mn/TEMPO-doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs in situ. The subsequent thermal decomposition of Mn/TEMPO-doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs, as a precursor, provides the highly porous (641 m 2 g –1 ) Mn 2 O 3 -doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs. The highly porous NPs was characterized by FTIR, BET, TGA, VSM, ICP, TEM, XRD, UV–Vis, and XPS analyses. High stability and catalytic activity was found for the NPs in the synthesis of α-aminonitriles via the Strecker synthesis from primary and secondary alcohols under mild conditions. TAIm[CN] ionic liquid (IL) was used as an efficient solvent and nitrile-required reagent to synthesis of α-aminonitriles. TAIm[CN] IL could be recycled for several times by a simple recovery and subsequent treatment. Also, the catalytic activity of the NPs was evaluated toward the selective alcohol oxidation to carbonyl compounds and the direct transformation of imines from alcohols and aryl amines. Mn 2 O 3 -doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs could be recovered and reused for several consecutive cycles without any considerable reactivity loss. Graphical Abstract Highly porous MnO-doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs were synthesized via thermal decomposition of Mn/TEMPO-doped Fe 3 O 4 NPs as a precursor, and used as an efficient recyclable catalyst for the Strecker synthesis from alcohols in TAIm[CN] ionic liquid