Copper Iodide nanoparticles supported on magnetic aminomethylpyridine functionalized cellulose: a new heterogeneous and recyclable nanomagnetic catalyst for the facile access to N-sulfonylamidines

N-sulfonylamidines belong to an important class of organic compounds which include unique structural motifs in wide range of natural products and biologically active molecules.They are not only the essential part of important pharmacophores, antitumor agents and anti-proliferative, but also serve as useful synthetic intermediates and efficient coordinating ligands [1].In recent years, the emphasis and shifting of science and technology is more toward renewable resources and heterogeneous catalytic processes. Thereby natural biopolymers are attractive candidates to employ as modified supports for catalytic applications. Cellulose as one of the most important organic biopolymer, is abundantly available material in higher plants. It has many properties such as hydrophilicity, chirality, biodegradability, broad chemical modifying capacityand also large surface area [2].In this study, we report the synthesis of copper iodide nanoparticles supported on magnetically aminomethylpyridine functionalized cellulose as a heterogeneous and recyclable nanocatalyst. The application of this nanocatalyst was also investigated in the three-componentreactions between sulfonyl azides, terminal alkynes and secondary amines for synthesis of N-sulfonylamidines (Figure 1) which are accessible via in situ generated sulfonyl ketenimine intermediates.