Greener routes to organics and nanomaterials: Sustainable applications of nanocatalysts
Sustainable synthetic activity involving alternate energy input and greener reaction medium under aqueous or solvent-free conditions is summarized. This includes the synthesis of heterocyclic compounds, coupling reactions, and a variety of reactions catalyzed by basic water or recyclable and reusable magnetic nanocatalysts in aqueous media using microwave (MW) irradiation. Micropine-structured catalysts and magnetic nanoferrites and their post-synthetic modification with ligands and other nanometals serve as sustainable nanocatalysts in benign media. The strategic approach attempts to fulfill most of the green chemistry principles in a comprehensive manner and aims to create sustainable functional chemicals that may find large-scale use with significant waste minimization.