A highly active and magnetically retrievable nanoferrite-DOPA-copper catalyst for the coupling of thiophenols with aryl halides.

Diaryl sulfides were synthesized using a magnetically recoverable heterogeneous Cu catalyst via one-pot multi component reaction using MW irradiation; the use of isopropanol as a benign reaction medium, easy recovery of the catalyst using an external magnet, efficient recycling, and the high stability of the catalyst render the protocol economic and sustainable.