Novel magnetic nanomaterials: Synthesis, characterization and study of their catalytic application

A simple chemical process has been successfully developed to synthesize some N2O2 Schiff base metal complexes as an organic shell on an inorganic support. Schiff base complexes of Ni(II), Cu(II), Co(II) and Zn(II) were immobilized on modified magnetic support. The magnetic support was modified using tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) and then functionalized with Schiff base complexes of transition metals ions. The synthesized nanocatalysts show high catalytic activity and selectivity in the oxidation of sulfide compounds to corresponding sulfoxides. The hybrid nanomaterials were fully characterized with different physicochemical techniques including Fourier transform Infrared, X-ray diffraction analysis, thermal gravimeter, scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Also, magnetic properties of hybrid nanomaterials were measured by Alternative Gradient Field Magnetometer. Magnetic measurements showed that the coating of nanomaterials reduces the magnetization indicating modification of NPs with Schiff base complexes.