Magnetic solid sulfonic acid decorated with hydrophobic regulators: a combinatorial and magnetically separable catalyst for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles.

A three-component, Strecker reaction of a series of aldehydes or ketones, amines, and trimethylsilyl cyanide for the synthesis of α-aminonitriles in the presence of a catalytic amount of a magnetic solid sulfonic acid catalyst, Fe3O4@SiO2@Me&Et-PhSO3H under solvent-free conditions have been investigated. This catalyst, with a combination of hydrophobicity and acidity on the Fe3O4@SiO2 core-shell of the magnetic nanobeads, as well as its water-resistant property, enabled easy mass transfer and catalytic activity in the Strecker reaction. The catalyst was easily separated by an external magnet and the recovered catalyst was reused in 6 successive reaction cycles without any significant loss of activity.