Synthesis of Ibuprofen intermediate using alcoholic silver nanoparticles and its kinetics: A greener approach towards drug synthesis

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were prepared and tested for the activity in the catalytic reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol showing to be exceptionally active. Further, using AgNPs we catalytically synthesized 1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethanol which is important drug intermediate for the widely used Ibuprofen. The rate constants were determined at temperatures 298 K, 303 K, 308 K, 313 K, 318 K, 232 K correspond to 0.29 min−1, 0.37 min−1, 0.40 min−1, 0.43 min−1, 0.50 min−1, 0.68 min−1, respectively. The activation energy of AgNPs is 23.25 kJ/mol. The number of collisions of reactants in the term of frequency factor was found to be high 1.99 × 108 min−1 and average heat of reaction is 26.1 kJ/mol. The recyclability study of AgNPs in the reduction of 1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethanone (4-IBPEON) to 1-(4-isobutylphenyl)ethanol (4-IBPE) in six consecutive reaction cycles found to be (0.91 g, 90%), (0.89 g, 88%), (0.87 g, 86%), (0.84 g, 83%), (0.84 g, 83%), (0.81 g, 80%), respectively. We promisingly minimize the waste generated in the synthesis of 4-IBPE by calculation E-factor and atom efficiency and was found to 0.57 and 81.56%, respectively. Reported experimental results were directly relevance to develop theoretical concepts.