Green Synthesis of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles and Their Application in Ring Opening of Epoxides

Epoxides are molecules with extensive usages in various products synthesis. They are capable of reacting with different nucleophiles and their potential in the ring opening of epoxides adds to their importance as pioneers in the synthesis of organic compounds. In the present research, a green and easy method for the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles as a catalyst was introduced. Synthesized zinc oxide nanoparticles were characterized by UV-Vis spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The UV-Vis spectrum of the nanoparticles showed an absorption peak at 327 nm corresponding to the ZnO nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction analysis also showed a high degree of crystallinity of the synthesized nanoparticles with the hexagonal structure. Zinc oxide nanoparticles were studied as an effective catalyst for epoxide ring- opening. The reactions were done by aliphatic and aromatic amines and alcohols as a nucleophile at room temperature and under microwave conditions. The results of the reactions showed that the presence of zinc oxide nanoparticles catalyzed the ring-opening of the epoxides well. The ZnO nanocatalyst ledto the synthesis of products with high efficiency and good regioselectivity in a short period of time.