ZnFe2O4@Fe3O4 Nanocatalyst for the Synthesis of the 1,8-Dioxooctahydroxanthene: Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Studies

This study aims to prepare and evaluate the catalytic advantages of ZnFe2O4@Fe3O4 in the synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthene derivatives. The catalyst was prepared in two steps (1) preparation of zinc ferrite ZnFe2O4 and Fe3O4 nanoparticles by co-precipitation technique (2) preparation of mixed metal oxide (ZnFe2O4@Fe3O4). The catalyst was fully characterized by FTIR, EDX, XRD, FESEM, TGA, and VSM analyses. The ZnFe2O4@Fe3O4 was applied as a catalyst for the 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthenes. The products were synthesized in significant yields (85–95%) in short reaction times (15–60 min) without laborious work-up. The biological activity of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxant derivatives was studied. These compounds showed antioxidant activity between 64.4 and 90.2% and their antimicrobial activity against S. enterica, E. coli, L. monocytogenes, S. aureus, and E. faecalis was investigated.