Cobalt-Catalyzed N-Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols

Vanadium-doped molybdenum carbides as a promising catalyst for C–N/C–C coupling reactions

Vanadium-doped molybdenum carbides encapsulated in nitrogen-doped carbon exhibit significantly enhanced catalytic efficiency for both the oxidative C–N coupling of amines and C–C bond couplings of alcohols and ketones.

A simple cobalt-based catalyst system for the controlled dehydropolymerisation of H3B·NMeH2 on the gram-scale

A simple Co-based catalyst system promotes the efficient and controlled dehydropolymerisation of amine–boranes on scale.

Amination of β-hydroxyl acid esters via cooperative catalysis enables access to bio-based β-amino acid esters

β-amino acid esters are important scaffolds in medicinal chemistry and valuable building blocks for materials synthesis. Surprisingly, the waste-free construction of such moieties from readily available or renewable starting materials has not yet been addressed. Here we report on a robust and versatile method for obtaining β-amino acid esters by direct amination of β-hydroxyl acid esters via the borrowing hydrogen methodology using a cooperative catalytic system that comprises a homogeneous ruthenium catalyst and an appropriate Brønsted acid additive. This method allows for the direct amination of esters of 3-hydroxypropionic acid, a top value-added bio-based platform chemical, opening a simple route to access β-amino acid esters from a range of renewable polyols including sugars and glycerol.

Transformation of Levulinic Acid to Valeric Biofuels: A Review on Heterogeneous Bifunctional Catalytic Systems

Valerate esters (VAEs) commonly derived from levulinic acid (LA), which is deemed as one of the most promising biomass platform molecules, have been hailed as "valeric biofuels" in recent years. The cascade transformation of LA to VAEs consists of a series of acid- and metal-catalyzed processes alternately, in which heterogeneous bifunctional catalysts are required for better catalytic performance. The transformation pathway from LA to VAEs is presented, and bifunctional catalytic systems for the cascade transformation of LA into valeric acid (VA) and its esters, as well as one-pot conversion processes, are reviewed. Additionally, effects of metal and acid sites on the catalytic performance are discussed in detail. Impacts of and improvements to coke deposition, which is determined to be the primary reason for the reduction in catalytic activity, are also analyzed. Finally, feasible suggestions are proposed for enhanced catalytic performance and a reduction in overall costs.

Cobalt-Catalyzed Reductive Alkylation of Amines with Carboxylic Acids

Direct reductive alkylation of amines with carboxylic acid is carried out by using an inexpensive, air-stable cobalt/triphos catalytic system with molecular hydrogen as the reductant. This efficient synthetic method proceeds through reduction and condensation, followed by reduction of the in situ-generated imine into the amine in a green catalytic process.

A Microwave-Assisted SmI2-Catalyzed Direct N-Alkylation of Anilines with Alcohols

A new protocol for the alkylation of aromatic amines has been described using alcohols in the presence of SmI₂ as a catalyst with the generation of water as the sole byproduct. The reaction proceeds under MW conditions and selectively generates monoalkylated amines. This protocol features a broad substrate scope and good functional-group tolerance with moderate to high yields.

Self-Suspended Nanoparticles for N-Alkylation Reactions: A New Concept for Catalysis

The catalytic activity of snowman-like and core-shell Fe3O4/Au nanoparticles (NPs), obtained through a "wet chemistry" approach which directly restitutes nanocatalysts stable and highly active in the reaction medium, was tested towards N-alkylation reactions. The nanocatalysts were tested for the synthesis of secondary amines. The core-shell NPs, thanks to the surface properties, homogeneous dispersion and intimate connection with reagents in the catalyst medium, exhibited an excellent catalytic activity (e. g. >99 % yield and conversion of aniline in very short time and mild conditions). Owing to the magnetic part, the nanoparticles can be easily separated and reused, showing an almost stable activity after 10 cycles.

Recent advances in homogeneous borrowing hydrogen catalysis using earth-abundant first row transition metals

The review highlights the recent advances (2013-present) in the use of earth-abundant first row transition metals in homogeneous borrowing hydrogen catalysis. The utility of catalysts based on Mn, Fe, Co, Ni and Cu to promote a diverse array of important C-C and C-N bond forming reactions is described, including discussion on reaction mechanisms, scope and limitations, and future challenges in this burgeoning area of sustainable catalysis.

Copper(II)-Catalyzed Selective Hydroboration of Ketones and Aldehydes

A novel nonanuclear copper(II) complex obtained by a facile one-pot self-assembly was found to catalyze the hydroboration of ketones and aldehydes with the absence of an activator under mild, solvent-free conditions. The catalyst is air- and moisture-stable, displaying high efficiency (1980 h^-1 turnover frequency, TOF) and chemoselectivity on aldehydes over ketones and ketones over imines. This represents a rare example of divalent copper catalyst for the hydroboration of carbonyls.

Dehydroxylated amination accompanied by 1,2-sulfur immigration

A sulfur neighbouring-group participation N-alkylation method is presented, which enables the simultaneous C–O cleavage, C–S immigration and C–N formation performed in a metal free system.

The N-alkylation of sulfonamides with alcohols in water catalyzed by a water-soluble metal–ligand bifunctional iridium complex [Cp*Ir(biimH2)(H2O)][OTf]2

A water-soluble dinuclear Cp*Ir complex bearing 4,4′,6,6′-tetrahydroxy-2,2′-bipyrimidine as a bridging ligand was found to be a highly effective catalyst for the N-alkylation of ketones with alcohols in water.

Room temperature N-heterocyclic carbene manganese catalyzed selective N-alkylation of anilines with alcohols

The first example of room temperature homogeneous non-noble metal catalyzed selective N-alkylation of anilines with alcohols using bis-NHC manganese.

Highly efficient and selective hydroboration of terminal and internal alkynes catalysed by a cobalt(ii) coordination polymer

Selective hydroboration of terminal and internal alkynes is catalysed using a Co^II-coordination polymer precatalyst with TOFs of up to 47 520 h⁻¹.

Nickel-catalyzed borrowing hydrogen annulations: access to diversified N-heterocycles

An efficient nickel-catalyzed synthesis of diversified N-heterocycles via atom-economic borrowing hydrogen annulations of easily available alcohols and amines.

Cp*Co(iii)-catalyzed N-alkylation of amines with secondary alcohols

We report here the first high-valent cobalt(iii)-catalyzed direct alkylation of aromatic amines with secondary alcohols.

Catalyzed or non-catalyzed: chemoselectivity of Ru-catalyzed acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols and amines via metal–ligand bond cooperation and (de)aromatization

The mechanistic origin of the chemoselectivity for Ru-catalyzed acceptorless coupling of amines and alcohols.

First-Row Transition Metal (De)Hydrogenation Catalysis Based On Functional Pincer Ligands

The use of 3d metals in de/hydrogenation catalysis has emerged as a competitive field with respect to "traditional" precious metal catalyzed transformations. The introduction of functional pincer ligands that can store protons and/or electrons as expressed by metal-ligand cooperativity and ligand redox-activity strongly stimulated this development as a conceptual starting point for rational catalyst design. This review aims at providing a comprehensive picture of the utilization of functional pincer ligands in first-row transition metal hydrogenation and dehydrogenation catalysis and related synthetic concepts relying on these such as the hydrogen borrowing methodology. Particular emphasis is put on the implementation and relevance of cooperating and redox-active pincer ligands within the mechanistic scenarios.

Markovnikov-Selective Hydroboration of Vinylarenes Catalyzed by a Cobalt(II) Coordination Polymer

Highly efficient and practical hydroboration of alkenes has been catalyzed by an inexpensive and air-stable cobalt(II) coordination polymer (CP) in the presence of KO ^tBu. Complete conversion of alkenes to alkylboronates were performed within just 5 min with low catalyst loading (0.025 mol %), achieving the record high turnover frequencies of up to 47 520 h^-1. For a range of vinylarenes, unusual Markovnikov selectivity was observed.

Cobalt-Pincer Complexes in Catalysis

Non-noble metal catalysts based on pincer type compounds are of special interest for organometallic chemistry and organic synthesis. Next to iron and manganese, currently cobalt-pincer type complexes are successfully applied in various catalytic reactions. In this review the recent progress in (de)hydrogenation, transfer hydrogenation, hydroboration and hydrosilylation as well as dehydrogenative coupling reactions using cobalt-pincer complexes is summarised.