A highly efficient and sustainable synthesis of 1-[(1,3-thiazol-2-ylamino) methyl]-2-naphthols under solvent-free conditions using graphene oxide substituted ethane sulfonic acid catalyst

Graphene oxide functionalized by ethane sulfonic acid (GO@ET-SO3H) is an efficient and environmentally benign catalyst for the synthesis of 1-[(1,3-thiazol-2-ylamino) methyl]-2-naphthols. The synthesis was implemented through a one-pot process by using no solvent by the reaction of 2-naphthol, functionalized benzaldehydes, and 2-aminothiazol. First, graphene oxide was prepared according to a modified Hummers method. It was subsequently modified by 2-Hydroxyethyl disulfide, and then oxidized with performic acid to reach the catalyst (GO@ET-SO3H). The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and FT-IR spectroscopy. The catalyst exhibited efficient properties such as simple work-up, no byproducts, sustainability, nonmetal and safe components, stability under reaction conditions, and recoverability.