LAUSR

A series of three novel nanocomposites were prepared by modifying the surface of natural clinoptilolite using various amounts of manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanoparticles. These manganese ferrite-modified nanocomposites (MFO–NC) were fully characterized by XRD, FT-IR, EDX, VSM and TEM analyses. One of these novel nanocomposites with 40 wt% of manganese ferrite in clinoptilolite (MFO–NC-3) showed a strong catalytic behavior in the aldol-type Claisen–Schmidt reaction for the synthesis of chalcones. A strong catalytic synergy was observed between nano-MnFe2O4 particles and natural clinoptilolite in the structure of these nanocomposites. The products with a broad range of substituents on the reactants were efficiently obtained under room-temperature conditions within relatively short reaction times with good to excellent yields in the presence of one of the prepared MFO–NC nanocomposites. This nanocomposite also showed a strong stability and substantial reusability in the synthesis of chalcones.