A Novel Preparation of Zirconium Phosphate Nanoparticle and Its Application in Multi-Component Reactions

A novel method for the preparation of α-zirconium phosphate (ZrP) nanoparticles as an eco-friendly and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst was studied. Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was used as the organic matrix which produced a better dispersion of ZrP nanoparticles. The catalyst was characterized by several physicochemical techniques such as ICP-OES, XRD, TPD-NH3, pyridine-FTIR, BET, FTIR, TGA, SEM, and TEM. The acidic property of ZrP was studied in the synthesis of 2-amino-3-cyanopyridines. When the hexagonal ZrP nanoparticles were used as the catalyst, excellent yields were obtained. The catalyst was recovered and reused at least eight times without significant loss in its catalytic activity.