Microwave‐associate synthesis of Co₃O₄ nanoparticles as an effcient nanocatalyst for the synthesis of arylidene barbituric and Meldrum's acid derivatives in green media

Abstract

In this study, Co 3 O 4 nanocatalysts were constructed in environmentally appropriate conditions using controlled, effective, and facile microwave method. The final nanostructures were characterized by SEM, XRD, and TEM analyses. The products had a small size distribution, homogeneous morphology, and crystallographic structures associated with the formation of Co 3 O 4 nanostructures. Moreover, EDS mapping analysis confirmed the existence of Co and O elements in the final structure, and the magnetic properties of the samples were investigated by VSM. The application of this nanostructure in a catalytic process was further examined, and the results suggested that it could be used as a novel candidate for the synthesis of arylidene barbituric and Meldrum , s acid through Knoevenagel condensation of aldehydes by barbituric and Meldrum , s acid in aqueous media. The high yield of these nanocatalysts would be justified by the nature of the nanostructure as well as the experimental procedure developed in this study, which affected the physicochemical features of the products.