Solvothermal synthesis of magnetically recoverable silver-doped copper ferrite nanospheres as a multifunctional catalyst for efficient A3-coupling and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions.

In this work, a mesoporous silver-doped copper ferrite (Ag-CuFe2O4) nanocatalyst was successfully synthesized through a facile solvothermal approach and explored as a multifunctional and magnetically recoverable catalyst for A3 coupling and Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions. The structural, morphological, and compositional properties of the synthesized nanocatalyst were thoroughly characterized using PXRD, FTIR, FESEM, HRTEM, EDX, BET, TGA and VSM analyses. The incorporation of Ag ions into the CuFe2O4 lattice significantly enhanced the catalytic activity by increasing the number of active sites and improving electron transfer efficiency. The synthesized catalyst exhibited remarkable catalytic performance toward the synthesis of propargylamines via A3-coupling reactions and C-C bond formation through Sonogashira coupling under mild reaction conditions, affording excellent product yields with high selectivity. Furthermore, the magnetic nature of the catalyst enabled its easy separation from the reaction medium using an external magnet, demonstrating excellent recyclability and stability over multiple catalytic cycles without significant loss of activity. The synergistic effect between silver and copper ferrite, combined with the advantages of heterogeneous catalysis, makes Ag-CuFe2O4 a promising multifunctional nanocatalyst for sustainable organic transformations and green synthetic applications.