Cycloaddition reaction of NaN ₃ with nitriles toward the synthesis of tetrazoles catalyzed by a copper complex on boehmite nanoparticles

In the present study, the synthesis of boehmite nanoparticles was done using a hydrothermal method using an aluminum source in water solvent. The synthesized boehmite support was modified using (3-iodopropyl)trimethoxysilane (3-IPTMS), and then the modified boehmite was functionalized using a Schiff-base ligand. Finally, copper ions were immobilized on the functionalized boehmite denoted as a boehmite@Schiff-base-Cu nanocatalyst. The synthesized catalyst was identified and confirmed using SEM, FT-IR, TGA, EDXS, WDX, XRD, and BET techniques. The activity of boehmite@Schiff-base-Cu was investigated in preparing 5-substituted tetrazoles using nitrile derivatives and sodium azide, in which short reaction times and high yields were observed in described reactions. Also, the many advantages of the boehmite@Schiff-base-Cu nanocatalyst are ease of operation, compatibility with the environment, its easy separation from the reaction medium, and the ability to reuse it several times without significantly reducing its catalytic activity.