Composite materials containing Brønsted acid sites derived from leaves graphene oxide modification as green catalysts for the synthesis of 4-thiazolidinones.

An IL@SGO catalyst was synthesized from leaf residues of the modification of sulfur-doped graphene oxide (SGO) with dual-acid ionic liquid 3-(3-sulfopropyl)-1-(3-(triethoxysilyl)propyl)-1-imidazol-3-ium hydrosulfate (IL) and used for the synthesis of a 4-thiazolidinone framework with diverse biological activities. The structure and morphology of IL@SGO were determined using modern physical techniques such as FT-IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, XRD analysis, ICP-MS analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). It is anticipated that in the future, the IL@SGO catalyst will emerge as a promising catalyst with its unique and environmentally friendly characteristics. The reaction was carried out at 80 °C for 9 hours in the presence of toluene (5 mL) and IL@SGO (7 mg), and a major product was obtained in a yield ranging from 10% to 49%. Derived from leaves, the IL@SGO catalyst exhibited enhanced acidity and proton conductivity, thereby improving the yield and enabling catalyst recovery and reuse that contribute to environmental preservation.