Gold nanoparticles supported on carbon coated magnetic nanoparticles; a robustness and effective catalyst for aerobic alcohols oxidation in water

Three kinds of gold nanoparticles supported by carbon-coated magnetic nanoparticles were prepared using distinct reduction processes and appropriate quantities of carbon support. Among them, an active and magnetically recoverable catalyst known as Fe3O4@C@Au(H) was instrumental in the aerobic oxidation of al-cohols in water, where it produced carbonyl compounds with high selectivities without the formation of any carboxylic acids in the case of primary alcohol. The recovered Au catalyst can be used efficiently and quickly in ten successive runs without a noteworthy decrease in activity and, simply isolated from the water by using an external magnetic at the end of the process. In particular, the possibility to carry out the reaction in water, and simultaneously, the straightforward protocol for recycling via the easy and rapid separation method makes this catalytic system a credible candidate towards the target of green chemistry.