TsOH-SiO2 as an efficient and eco-friendly catalyst for Knoevenagel condensation

Tosic acid on silica gel (TsOH-SiO2) was synthesized and characterized using microscopic and spectroscopic techniques such as powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and FT-IR spectroscopy. Thermal behaviour of the catalyst was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric (TG) analysis. TsOH-SiO2 showed excellent catalytic activity for the Knoevenagel condensation and was recyclable for six cycles.