Studies on the Iron Nanoparticles Catalyzed Reduction of Substituted Aromatic Ketones to Alcohols

Iron nanoparticles are synthesized and size characterized using HRTEM, FESEM, and XRD. Polyethylene glycol(PEG), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and poly N-vinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) are used as nanoparticle stabilizers. The sizes of Fe nps are found to be 9 nm, 14 nm, and 17 nm ± 1 nm corresponding to PEG, CMC, and PVP stabilizers, respectively. The three different iron nanoparticles (Fe nps) prepared are used as catalysts in the hydrogenation reaction of various substituted aromatic ketones to alcohols with NaBH4. The progress of the reaction was monitored using time variance UV spectra. Kinetic plots are made from the absorbance values and the pseudo first order rate coefficient values are determined. Catalytic efficiency of the Fe nps is obtained by comparing the pseudo first order rate coefficient values, times of reaction, and % yield. Fe-PEG nps was found to act as better catalyst than Fe-CMC nps and Fe-PVP nps. Also, effects of substituents in the aromatic ring of ketones reveal that