Ag-Decorated NiFe ₂ O ₄ Magnetic Nanocomposites as Catalysts for the Synthesis of 5-Substituted 1 <i>H</i> -Tetrazoles and for the Selective Oxidation of Benzyl Alcohol to Benzaldehyde

Silver-based magnetic nanocomposites have gained significant interest in the domains of engineering and chemistry, owing to their intriguing physicochemical properties. Integration of Ag nanoparticles with magnetic nanostructures allows scientists to develop auspicious materials with superior catalytic efficiency for specific organic transformations as well as facile recyclability and reusability. This work demonstrates the fabrication of Ag-decorated NiFe2O4 magnetic nanocomposites (Ag/NiFe2O4) via a hydrothermal-reduction approach. Ag/NiFe2O4 shows ferromagnetic behavior and exhibits a mesoporous surface with a large surface area of 137.04 m2 g–1. The physicochemical properties of synthesized nanomaterials are characterized through different spectroscopic, microscopic, and physical techniques. Ag/NiFe2O4 is established as an efficient multifunctional catalyst for synthesizing an array of 5-substituted 1H-tetrazoles and selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde with isolated yields up to 97% and 98%, respectively. Ag/NiFe2O4 is magnetically retrievable and reusable for up to sixth catalytic cycle for both reactions without any substantial loss in catalytic efficiency. Excellent surface area, outstanding recyclability as well as reusability, and wide tolerance for functional groups are the superlative features of this approach.