Aqueous synthesis of 1,8-dioxo-octahydroxanthenes using supported cobalt nanoparticles as a highly efficient and recyclable nanocatalyst

A highly efficient and environmentally friendly approach for the synthesis of 1,8-dioxo- octahydroxanthenes has been developed catalysed by a supported cobalt nanoparticle catalyst (CoNP@SBA-15) in water. The use of this heterogeneous catalytic system offered several advantages including high yields, low catalyst loading, short reaction times and easy workup. Furthermore, the catalyst was efficiently reused for ten consecutive cycles without any significant loss in catalytic activity. © 2018 Elsevier B.V.