Rahman Karimi-Nami’s research while affiliated with University of Maragheh and other places

The central aim of this investigation was to innovate a novel nanocatalyst for the eco-friendly synthesis of benzothiazoles through an acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of 2-aminothiophenol and benzyl alcohol, mitigating environmental impact.

C–C coupling reactions represent a fundamental synthetic methodology widely employed in academic and industrial settings. Herein, we present a report on developing and synthesizing a heterogeneous catalyst that is environmentally compatible and has recycling capabilities. Furthermore, the utilization of this catalyst for C–C coupling reactions was explored. A novel amide-based CON was prepared via the reaction of a novel [2,2′-bipyridine]-5,5′-diamine (BDA) and 1,3,5-tris(4-carboxyphenyl) (TCB). TCB was activated with carbonyl diimidazole (CDI) and then reacted with BDA to synthesize favorable CON (i.e., CON-KEY1). Finally, the CON synthesized was reacted with palladium chloride ions, and the palladium-containing organocatalytic complex was decorated with the abbreviated Pd/CON-KEY1. This new heterogeneous complex was fully characterized through the required techniques, including FT-IR, EDX, XRD, TEM, SEM, ICP, TGA-DTA, N2 isotherms, and elemental mapping analysis. Computer simulation results include a multi-sheet 2D framework proposed by CON-KEY1. As a result, palladium ions were found to be arranged between the layers and on the CON surface. This heterogeneous complex functioned as a catalyst precursor in both the Suzuki–Miyaura coupling reaction of aryl boronic acids with aryl halides and the Heck reaction of aryl halides with acrylate derivatives or styrene. The desired coupling products with various functional groups were successfully attained with excellent yields of up to 98%. Simple set-up, improved yields, short reaction times, non-toxic solvents, catalyst durability, and high turnover frequency are among the distinct advantages of this synthetic method. Some other outstanding features of this catalytic system include convenient separation of catalysts and products, high yields, almost complete conversion, high selectivity, and good turnover frequency (TOF). The results show that the highest product efficiency in the reaction was achieved in the shortest possible time using Pd/CON-KEY1. Theoretical studies demonstrated the precedence of the palladium complexation with nitrogen atoms of CON-KEY1 rather than oxygen ones. Natural Bond Orbital (NBO) analysis affirmed that the system with Pd–N bonds (Eg = 0.089 eV) is more reactive with high electron conductivity compared to the Pd–O system (Eg = 0.120 eV).

Herein, a new catalytic nanocomposite [Co(BDC-NH2)-Pd NPs] composed of a Co(BDC-NH2) MOF has been developed. The catalyst was prepared by modifying the synthesized porous Co(BDC-NH2) MOF with decorated Pd nanoparticles. This nanocatalyst was used as a heterogeneous catalyst in the reductive degradation of organic dyes Rhodamine B and methyl orange with NaBH4. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of the reactions were evaluated. The results showed that the low catalyst content could successfully catalyze the dye reduction reaction quickly (1 min). The metal–organic frameworks unique porous morphology of the Co(BDC-NH2) MOF appears to increase dye adsorption and achieve effective dye reduction. Additionally, recyclability studies of the catalyst confirmed that it could be recovered and reused for 10 consecutive reaction cycles with negligible Pd leaching and reduction in catalytic activity.

This study discusses the determination of thyroxine hormone in blood serum samples by a novel MOF composite electrode. The used MOF was Zn(BTC)-(MOF) which was constructed from 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid ligand (BTC) and zinc ions in DMF solvent. Using cysteine as the linker, the MOF was plated on the surface of a gold electrode, formerly covered by a layer of gold nanoparticles immersed in conductive polymer polypyrrole (PPy). Different analytical methods, such as FTIR, XRD, SEM, EIS, CV, and BET, were utilized to investigate the morphology and performance of the prepared materials. The modified electrode exhibited excellent electrocatalytic ability to reduce thyroxine without interference from common coexisting substances such as different salts. The fabricated electrode has been successfully used to determine thyroxine in a linear concentration range of 10–210 nM with a detection limit of 8 nM.

In this work, a modified electrode named Au/Au NPs-PPy/l-CYs/ZIF-8 was designed and built and simultaneously doped into electropolymerized polypyrrole (PPy) film using cyclic voltammetry (CV). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS), and CV were used to characterize the composite films. The PPy-(ZIF-8) modified Au electrode was used to determine insulin using Square-Wave Voltammetry (SWV). It was found that the prepared zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 had excellent electrocatalytic activity towards insulin oxidation due to its unique properties. The oxidation peak current of insulin hormone increased with its concentration in the range from 1.0 to 60 nM with the linear regression equation: Ipa = 0.3421C (nM) + 3.2762 (γ = 0.998). The measurement limit was estimated to be 1 nM. While the common coexisting substances showed no interference in the response of the modified electrode to insulin, the modified electrode indicated reproducible behavior and a high level of stability during the experiments. The advantages of using these nanocomposites on the surface of modified electrodes include increased stability, good interaction between the analyte and the modified electrode, conductivity, and excellent performance due to the nanometer size of the composites. As a result, it may be particularly suitable for analytical purposes.