Novel approach to synthesizing polymer-functionalized Fe3O4/SiO2-NH2 via an ultrasoundassisted method for catalytic selective oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones in a DMSO/water mixture

N-(2-Oxotetrahydrothiophen-3-yl)acrylamide was successfully polymerized on the surface of amine functionalized magnetic silica nanocomposites via an ultrasound-assisted method. Then, MnO2 nanoparticles were formed on the surface of the polymer functionalized magnetic nanocomposites leading to a magnetically recoverable MnO2 catalyst, which exhibits high catalytic activity in the selective aerobic oxidation of alcohols to aldehydes and ketones in a mixture of DMSO and water in 30 min. The catalyst can be separated from the reaction mixture by applying a permanent magnet externally and can be reused several times without a significant loss of activity.