A reusable magnetic nickel nanoparticle based catalyst for the aqueous synthesis of diverse heterocycles and their evaluation as potential anti-bacterial agent.

A library of biologically important heterocycles, viz. pyrazolyl pyrimidine-triones, bis(heterocyclyl)methanes were successfully synthesised by the condensation of barbituric acid, pyrazolone with an aldehyde and dimedone/4-hydoxy coumarin with various substituted aldehydes in aqueous medium at room temperature catalysed by nickel nanoparticles which proved to be an efficient magnetically recyclable catalyst. The method is simple, eco-friendly and gave excellent yields of the products without taking recourse to column chromatographic separation procedures. Computational method was employed to elucidate the selective formation of uncyclised product in reaction course. The biological activity of the synthesized compounds were investigated and the results demonstrated profound antibacterial activity.