Core–shell structured Fe3O4@SiO2-supported IL/[Mo6O19]: A novel and magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst for the preparation of biologically active dihydropyrimidinones

Abstract The synthesis and catalytic application of a novel magnetic silica-nanomaterial-supported ionic liquid/hexamolybdate (Fe3O4@SiO2-IL/[Mo6O19]) are reported. The Fe3O4@SiO2-IL/[Mo6O19] nanocatalyst was prepared through modification of magnetic Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles with alkyl-imidazolium ionic liquids followed by treatment with hexamolybdate anions. The Fe3O4@SiO2-IL/[Mo6O19] was characterized using FTIR, EDX, TGA, SEM, TEM, PXRD, and VSM techniques. This nanocatalyst exhibited excellent activity in the one-pot synthesis of biologically active dihydropyrimidinones through the Biginelli reaction. Furthermore, this magnetically recoverable nanocatalyst could be reused at least seven times without a significant loss of efficiency.