Use of Some Metalferrites as Catalyst in Benzil-Benzilicacid Rearrangement Reaction

Abstract

Magnesium ferrite was used to catalyse the Benzil-Benzilic acid rearrangement reaction of 1,2-rearrangement of 1,2-diketones to α-hydroxy carboxylic acids in presence of a base. Magnesium ferrite was prepared by hydrothermal process. It was characterized by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), X-Ray Diffraction Spectroscopy (XRD), and Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (EDX). The crystalline size of magnesium ferrite was found to have 82.47nm and these are irregular in shape. It was found that the yield of the product (benzilic acid) in the presence of Mg ferrite was 81.6%, which is almost 2.3 times the yield obtained in the absence of catalyst. A comparative study was made with different metal ferrites as catalyst and it was found that the activity of metal ferrites followed the order: MgFe2O4 > Cu Fe2O4 > Ni Fe2O4 > Co Fe2O4 > Zn Fe2O4