Magnetic nanoparticles of iron (III) vanadate as a green versatile heterogeneous catalyst for selective oxidation of benzyl alcohols and indane

Size and shaped-controlled synthesis of iron (III) vanadate (FeVO4) was achieved by the hydrothermal approach. Metal orthovanadates (MVO4) are an interesting class of compounds with diverse applications in various fields such as solar cells, gas sensors, cathode in lithium batteries and more importantly as catalysts [1]. The excellent catalytic activity of the prepared nano-rods of iron vanadate for the oxidation of benzylic alcohols by hint of a Fenton-like process [2] as well as its capability for oxidation of the benzylic sp3 C-Hs was reported. In the presence of a well-known oxidant, urea hydrogen peroxide (UHP), oxidation have been perfrmed by leaving water behind at the end of reaction as that all ocates in category of green catalysts[3]. Technically, both of prepared nano-rods and nano-spheres were fully characterized by FTIR, XRD, EDAX, ICP-AES, SEM and TEM. At a distinctive measurement,average diameter of ball- and bar-shaped nanostructures could be seen about 70 nm and 150 nm × 1.3 μm, respectivelv. In the presence of the catalyst, alcohols and methylene of a specific alkylarene, indane,chemo-selectively(100%) convert to the corresponding aldehydes/ketones and α- carbonylarene, respectively. Aftertotal monitoring the turn over number about 380 during ten consecutive runs was dramatically observed.