Immobilization of dioxomolybdenum(VI) complex on the Schiff base coated magnetic nanoparticles: A highly active, selective and reusable catalyst in oxidation of sulfides to sulfoxides

A molybdenum complex was immobilized on amino propyl and Schiff base modified magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles by covalent linkage. The obtained nanoparticleswere characterized with various characterization methods and employed as catalysts for the selective oxidation of sulfdes to corresponding sulfoxides using ureahydrogenperoxide as the oxidant. The catalysts showed the similar catalytic activity but different stability and recyclability. Immobilization of Mo(VI) complex on the MNPs trough the Schiff base ligand resulted in the formation of nanocatalyst that could be recycle more than four times. In contrary, the immobilization through the amino propyl linkage did not lead to the formation of a highly stable and fully recyclable nanocatalyst. The EDX survey of nanocatalyst (Fig. 1) confirmed the presence of molybdenum in the nanoparticles structure