Addition of azomethine ylides to carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles.

The Prato reaction was applied for the covalent introduction of a variety of organic moieties onto carbon-encapsulated iron nanoparticles. The developed method is versatile and employs a broad range of commercially available reactants, including both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. The reported functionalization route provides high functionalization yields (ca. 12-21 wt%).