T. Sanaeishoar et al. / Applied Catalysis A: General 470 (2014) 56–62
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of sufficient recyclable catalyst and eliminate the use of auxiliary
substances e.g. solvents, separation agents, etc.
2.5. Preparation of catalyst (KF·ꢁ-Al2O3)
The KF·␥-Al2O3 was prepared by reported method [49]. Sup-
ported KF on ␥-alumina with loadings of 3–15 mmol KF/g was
prepared by the wet impregnation method. ␥-Alumina was added
to a solution of KF in water and the suspension was stirred at room
temperature for 2 h. Water as evaporated at 60 ◦C under reduced
pressure using a rotary evaporator. The catalyst was dried at 100 ◦C
overnight, and pretreated in vacuum at the desired temperature
before testing for any catalytic activity.
2. Experimental
2.1. General remarks
All chemicals and reagents were obtained from Sigma–Aldrich
or Merck and were used without further purification. Several tech-
niques were employed to analyze and validate the synthesized
nanocatalyst. For structural investigation of calcined powder at
650 ◦C X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements were carried out in
the region of (2ꢀ = 20◦ to 70◦) using CuK␣ radiation on a Rigaku
D/MAX RB XRD diffractometer equipped with a curved graphite
monochromator. The microstructure of powder was examined
using LEO 912AB TEM under a working voltage of 120 kV, while
the morphology and chemical analysis of the particles was inves-
tigated using SEM–EDX technique. The SEM of the type LEO 1450
VP (V = 30 kV) was equipped with an EDX spectrometer of the type
Inca 400 (Oxford Instruments). The melting points of products were
determined with an Electrothermal 9200 melting point appara-
tus. The FT-IR spectra were recorded on a Perkin-Elmer BX-II IR
spectrometer. The 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectra were provided on
Bruker DRX-400 and DRX-300 Avance instruments in CDCl3. The
specific surface area (SSA) of the catalyst was calculated using BET
method from the nitrogen adsorption isotherms obtained at 77 K
on samples outgassed at 250 ◦C with the use of a Micromeritics
Accusorb 2100E apparatus.
2.6. Preparation of catalyst (NH4OAc·Al2O3)
Alumina (ICN Biomedical N-Super 1, 9.23 g) was added to a solu-
tion of ammonium acetate (10 mmol, 0.77 g) in methanol, and the
mixture was stirred at room temperature for 0.5 h. The methanol
was removed by rotary evaporator under reduced pressure, and
the resulting reagent was dried in vacuum (10 mmHg) at room
temperature for 2 h [50].
2.7. Typical procedure for the synthesis of
imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines
To a mixture of aldehyde(1 mmol), amidine(1 mmol) and iso-
cyanide(1 mmol), nano-LaMnO3 (0.0005 g) was added and the
mixture was heated at 35 ◦C for an appropriate time as indicated by
TLC. The mixture was filtered and washed with CH2Cl2 to separate
catalyst. To obtain pure products the solid residue was recrystal-
lized from CH3CN.
All the products (except of 4a, 4b, 4c, 4f and 4 h) are new com-
pounds, which were identified by IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectral
data.
2.2. Preparation of catalyst (LaMnO3)
LaMnO3 (LMO) of the type perovskite oxide were fabricated
by sol–gel method. The appropriate amounts of starting materials
La(NO3)3·6H2O (99.9%) and Mn(CH3COO)2·H2O (99.9%) were dis-
solved in deionized water. Citric acid was then added slowly to
the metal solution at room temperature under constant magnetic
stirring (1000 r/min). The solution was refluxed with stirring for
2 h to convert it to a stable complex. To make a gel, stirring was
continued at ∼70 ◦C for 3 h in water bath. A dry gel was obtained
by placing the sol in an oven and heating slowly to 110 ◦C and then
maintaining the temperature for 8 h. The gel was ground in an agate
mortar to give a powder. LaMnO3 nanoparticles were obtained by
calcinations of the precursors at 650 ◦C for 9 h in air.
2.8. Spectral data of synthesized imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines
2.8.1. N-Cyclohexyl-2-(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)imidazo[1,2-
a]pyridin-3-amine (4d,
C21H26N4)
Yellow-brown crystal, (0.314 g, 94%); mp: 182–183 ◦C; IR (KBr,
cm−1): 3432(NH), 2926 (CH), 1630 and 1462 (Ar). 1H NMR (CDCl3,
400 MHz): ı = 1.17–1.86 (10H, m, 5 CH2 of CyHex), 3.02 (1 H, m,
CHN of CyHex), 3.02 (6H, s, 2CH3), 3.27 (1H, s, NH), 6.81 (3H, m,
3 CH of Ar), 7.15 (1H, dd, J, 3J = 8.4, 4J = 7.2, CH of Ar), 7.62 (1H,
d, 3J = 8.8, CH of Ar), 7.98 (2H, d, 3J = 6.8, 2 CH of Ar), 8.15 (1H, d,
3J = 6.8, CH of Ar). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz): ı = 24.86, 25.81, 34.15,
40.47, 56.80, 111.14, 112.32, 116.77, 122.54, 122.58, 123.36, 123.55,
127.84, 137.10, 141.36, 149.67.
2.3. Preparation of catalyst (FeCl3·nano-SiO2)
The FeCl3·nano-SiO2 was prepared by reported method [47]. In
a 100 mL flask, nano silica gel (25 g) and FeCl3·6H2O (2 g) (8% of
the weight of nano-SiO2) were vigorously stirred by magnetic stir-
rer under solvent-free conditions at room temperature for 24 h to
achieve a homogeneous adsorption. A yellow powder was obtained.
This powder was heated for 1 h at 100 ◦C to give a brownish powder
(“active” FeCl3/nano-SiO2·reagent).
2.8.2. N-Cyclohexyl-2-(9H-fluoren-2-yl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-
3-amine (4e, C26H25N3)
Yellow-brown crystal, (0.360 g, 95%); mp: 172–174 ◦C; IR (KBr,
cm−1): 3222 (NH), 2926 (CH), 1638 and 1444 (Ar). 1H NMR (CDCl3,
400 MHz): ı = 1.18–1.87 (10H, m, 5 CH2 of CyHex), 3.01 (1 H, m, CHN
of CyHex), 3.63 (1H, s, NH), 4.00 (2H, s, CH2), 6.79 (1 H, td, 3J = 6.8,
4J = 0.8, CH of Ar), 7.16 (1 H, m, CH of Ar), 7.34 (1 H, td, 3J = 7.6, 4J = 1.2,
CH of Ar), 7.39 (1 H, m, CH of Ar), 7.58 (1 H, d, 3J = 7.2, CH of Ar),
7.65 (1 H, d, 3J = 8.8, CH of Ar),), 7.81 (2 H, m, 2 CH of Ar), 8.10 (1 H,
dd, 3J = 7.8, 4J = 1.4, CH of Ar), 8.19 (1 H, d, 3J = 6.8, CH of Ar), 8.33 (1
H, d, 3J = 0.4, CH of Ar). 13C NMR (CDCl3, 100 MHz): ı = 24.83, 25.76,
34.21, 37.04, 56.87, 111.51, 117.13, 119.82, 119.92, 122.72, 123.79,
123.94, 124.94, 125.07, 125.55, 126.66, 126.79, 133.01, 136.81,
140.78, 141.51, 141.62, 143.64, 143.66.
2.4. Preparation of catalyst (FeCl3·Al2O3)
The FeCl3·Al2O3 was prepared by reported method [48], by mix-
ing with ∼10% its weightof iron chloride hexahydrate (FeCl3·6H2O)
8 g in acetone (72 mL) and adding 43.2 g neutral Al2O3. The mixture
was stirred at room temperature for 1 h. The acetone was removed
under reduced pressure. The resulting yellow-brown powder was
dried at 120 ◦C for 4 h.