Graphitic carbon nitride supported neodymium oxide as an efficient recyclable nanocatalyst for the one-pot synthesis of diazabenzo[a]anthraceneones.

In this research, a neodymium oxide@graphitic-carbon nitride nanocomposite was prepared and used as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of some diazabenzo[a]anthraceneones under solvent-free conditions. The characterization of the Nd2O3@g-C3N4 nanocomposite was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). The as-prepared compound was used as a catalyst for the one-pot three-component reaction of 2-naphthol, different substituted aromatic aldehydes, barbituric acid and its derivatives under solvent-free conditions. The catalyst is highly efficient, stable, separable, and recyclable and provides the corresponding diazabenzo[a]anthraceneones in good to high yields. This method provides several advantages such as mild reaction conditions, operational simplicity, low cost, safety, easy work up procedures and purification of products, low catalyst loading and reusability of the catalyst.