One-pot reductive-acetylation of nitroarenes to acetanilides was carried out efficiently with NaBH4 in the presence of magnetically separable core-shell Fe3O4@Cu(OH)), nanoparticles. All reactions were carried out in H2O followed by acetylation with acetic anhydride within 5-17 min giving the N-arylacetamides in high to excellent yields. Reusability of the catalyst was examined 9 times without significant loss of its catalytic activity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.