FeO supported [Cu(ii)(met)(pro-H)] complex as a novel nanomagnetic catalytic system for room temperature C-O coupling reactions.

In this study, a newly-designed copper(ii) complex of metformin and l-proline which was immobilized on FeO MNPs was developed. The structure of the catalyst platform was fully characterized using spectroscopic analyses. Moreover, the catalytic activity of [FeO@Cu(ii)(Met)(Pro-H)] was investigated in a one-pot synthesis of a variety of functionalized ethers in reasonable to excellent yields through Ullman reaction in an aqueous environment using various aryl halides, phenol, and CsCO and without using any external Cu-reducing agents.