Thiourea-functionalized magnetic hydroxyapatite as a recyclable inorganic–organic hybrid nanocatalyst for conjugate hydrocyanation of chalcones with TMSCN

•Thiourea modified magnetic hydroxyapatite was prepared as an efficient nanocatalyst.•Thiourea functionalized mHAp is introduced as a magnetic separable organocatalyst.•Nanocatalyst was evaluated in 1,4-addition reaction of chalcones and related enones.•β-Ketonitriles were obtained in high yields under mild reaction condition and simple workup.•The catalyst is in particular highly stable and can be reused in successive runs.

The recoverable nanomagnetic catalyst was manufactured based on thiourea modified magnetic hydroxyapatite. Magnetic hydroxyapatite (mHAp) as the inorganic–organic hybrid support was fabricated using co-precipitate condition and then modified via the covalently anchoring of 1-(3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl-3-propyl)thiourea. The hybrid nano-catalyst has been identified by TEM, SEM, FTIR, BET, TGA, and XRD. This nanocatalyst appeared efficient and robust in the 1,4-addition reaction of TMSCN to α,β-unsaturated aromatic enones in excellent yields (85–96%) under mild reaction condition and simple work-up process. This recoverable organocatalyst has a great potential as an industrially viable and eco-safe catalyst.

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