2-Hydroxyethylammonium sulphonate immobilized on gamma-Fe2O3 nanoparticles (gamma-Fe2O3-2-HEAS) was synthesized as a new supported ionic liquid by the reaction of n-butylsulfonated gamma-Fe2O3 with ethanolamine. It was used as a magnetically recyclable heterogeneous catalyst for the efficient one-pot, three-component synthesis of 2-amino-3,5-dicarbonitrile-6-thio-pyridines. The catalyst was easily isolated from the reaction mixture by magnetic decantation using an external magnet and reused at least five times without significant degradation in the activity. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.