Efficient oxidation and epoxidation using a chromium(VI)-based magnetic nanocomposite

The oxidation of alcohols and alkenes to aldehydes, ketones and epoxides is a major reaction in organic synthesis, but is usually hard to perform due to the lack of efficient methods. The use of ultrasounds may improve yield because ultrasonic-assisted reactions are often more efficient than traditional methods. Here, we prepared a hybrid chromium(VI)-based magnetic nanocomposite catalyst by co-precipitation. This catalyst was characterized by Fourier transform infrared, solid-state ultraviolet–visible, elemental analysis, X-ray fluorescence, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and vibrating sample magnetometer analyses. The catalytic activity was tested by the oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde, cyclohexanol to cyclohexanone, and epoxidation of cyclohexene, using hydrogen peroxide at room temperature under ultrasonic irradiation. Results show conversions ranging from 27 to 100 % according to gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. This is the first report of using magnetic nanocomposites with ultrasonic irradiation for oxidation reactions.