Nano-colloidal silica-tethered polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes with eight branches of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane as high-performance catalyst for the preparation of bis-thiazolidinones under ultrasonic conditions

We report a class of organic–inorganic hybrid material based on nano-colloidal silica-tethered polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes with eight branches of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane [nano-colloidal silica@APTPOSS (a series of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes with eight branches of 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane)]. It was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. An easy and rapid method for the synthesis of bis-thiazolidinones has been presented by one-pot pseudo-five-component reaction of benzaldehydes, ethylenediamine and 2-mercaptoacetic acid using nano-colloidal silica@APTPOSS. The reusability of the catalyst and little catalyst loading, excellent yields, short reaction times, using the sonochemical procedure as a green process and an alternative energy source are some benefits of this method.