A specific task magnetically recoverable trifluoroacetic acid-immobilized Fe3O4@SiO2-APTES core-shell nanocatalyst was prepared and characterized by FTIR, XRD, TGA, CHN, TEM and DLS. This super Bronsted acid supported catalyst exhibited catalytic activity for the Friedlander synthesis of quinolines using various cyclic and acyclic dicarbonyl compounds under solvent-free condition. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.