Copper(II)-diaminosarcophagine-functionalized SBA-15: a heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the synthesis of benzimidazole, benzoxazole and benzothiazole derivatives under solvent-free conditions

Solvent-free organic reactions were studied over periodicmesoporous silica (SBA-15) containing a Cu(II) organometallic complex. This heterogeneous catalyst was achieved by coordination of Cu(II) ions with the diaminosarcophagine ligand and then its grafting onto the surface of SBA-15. This catalyst displayed ordered mesoporous channels, which implies an extremely high dispersion of the Cu(II) complex and the convenient diffusion of reactant molecules into the pore channels. Therefore, this catalyst can offer high activity and also facile separation or recycling when compared with its homogeneous counterparts. Copyright (C) 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.