Aerobic oxidation of aliphatic alcohol in cotton surface using epigallocatechin-3-gallate-iron (II, III) oxide (EGCG-Fe 3 O 4 ) nanocatalyst from green tea extract

This study involved the synthesis of epigallocatechin-3-gallate-Iron (II, III) oxide (EGCG- Fe₃O₄) nanocatalysts by reacting Fe₂O₃ with EGCG extracted from green tea (Camellia sinensis) aqueous extract. This environmentally friendly method was used as an alternative to traditional synthesis routes. The EGCG- Fe₃O₄ nanocatalysts were characterised using various techniques, including fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), BET Surface area analysis, analysis and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The results showed that the Fe₃O₄ nanocatalyst absorption peak at 363 nm indicated the formation of the Fe₃O₄ nanocatalyst, while the EGCG absorption peak shifted slightly to 274 nm, indicating the formation of the EGCG nanocatalyst. The conversion of final product aliphatic aldehyde from aliphatic alcohol in cotton surface via a solvent free aerobic oxidation using EGCG-Fe₃O₄ nanocatalyst. The final product of aliphatic aldehyde was confirmed by ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The molecular weight of the product was determined by mass spectral characterisation (EI-MS), which showed a molecular ion m/z of 72.06 (M⁺, 100%), which was confirmed by the molecular weight of isobutyraldehyde conforming to the molecular mass using EI-MS mass spectral analysis. This method has been used for aerobic oxidation of aliphatic alcohols in the textile and pharmaceutical industries and offers several advantages, including the use of environmentally friendly reaction conditions, reduced catalyst concentrations, high product yields, affordability, absence of solvents, and recovery and reuse of the EGCG-Fe₃O₄ nanocatalyst.