Borrowing Hydrogen-Mediated N-Alkylation Reactions by a Well-Defined Homogeneous Nickel Catalyst

Tungsten-Catalyzed Direct N-Alkylation of Anilines with Alcohols

The implementation of non-noble metals mediated chemistry is a major goal in homogeneous catalysis. Borrowing hydrogen/hydrogen autotransfer (BH/HA) reaction, as a straightforward and sustainable synthetic method, has attracted considerable attention in the development of non-noble metal catalysts. Herein, we report a tungsten-catalyzed N-alkylation reaction of anilines with primary alcohols via BH/HA. This phosphine-free W(phen)(CO)₄ (phen=1,10-phenthroline) system was demonstrated as a practical and easily accessible in-situ catalysis for a broad range of amines and alcohols (up to 49 examples, including 16 previously undisclosed products). Notably, this tungsten system can tolerate numerous functional groups, especially the challenging substrates with sterically hindered substituents, or heteroatoms. Mechanistic insights based on experimental and computational studies are also provided.

N-Alkylation of Amines with Alcohols Catalyzed by Manganese(II) Chloride or Bromopentacarbonylmanganese(I)

A manganese-catalyzed N-alkylation reaction of amines with alcohols via hydrogen autotransfer strategy has been demonstrated. The developed practical catalytic system including an inexpensive, nontoxic, commercially available MnCl₂ or MnBr(CO)₅ as the metal salt and triphenylphosphine as a ligand provides access to diverse aromatic, heteroaromatic, and aliphatic secondary amines in moderate-to-high yields. In addition, this operationally simple protocol is scalable to the gram level and suitable for synthesizing heterocycles such as indole and resveratrol-derived amines known to be active for Alzheimer's disease.

Ruthenium(II) complexes with N-heterocyclic carbene-phosphine ligands for the N-alkylation of amines with alcohols

Metal hydride complexes are key intermediates for N-alkylation of amines with alcohols by the borrowing hydrogen/hydrogen autotransfer (BH/HA) strategy. Reactivity tuning of metal hydride complexes could adjust the dehydrogenation of alcohols and the hydrogenation of imines. Herein we report ruthenium(ii) complexes with hetero-bidentate N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-phosphine ligands, which realize smart pathway selection in the N-alkylated reaction via reactivity tuning of [Ru-H] species by hetero-bidentate ligands. In particular, complex 6cb with a phenyl wingtip group and BArF- counter anion, is shown to be one of the most efficient pre-catalysts for this transformation (temperature is as low as 70 °C, neat conditions and catalyst loading is as low as 0.25 mol%). A large variety of (hetero)aromatic amines and primary alcohols were efficiently converted into mono-N-alkylated amines in good to excellent isolated yields. Notably, aliphatic amines, challenging methanol and diamines could also be transformed into the desired products. Detailed control experiments and density functional theory (DFT) calculations provide insights to understand the mechanism and the smart pathway selection via [Ru-H] species in this process.

Biorenewable carbon-supported Ru catalyst for N-alkylation of amines with alcohols and selective hydrogenation of nitroarenes

A renewable carbon-supported Ru catalyst (Ru/PNC-700) facilely prepared via simple impregnation followed by the pyrolysis process for N-alkylation of anilines with benzyl alcohol and chemoselective hydrogenation of nitroarenes.

Homogeneous Nickel-Catalyzed Sustainable Synthesis of Quinoline and Quinoxaline under Aerobic Conditions

Dehydrogenative coupling-based reactions have emerged as an efficient route toward the synthesis of a plethora of heterocyclic rings. Herein, we report an efficacious, nickel-catalyzed synthesis of two important heterocycles such as quinoline and quinoxaline. The catalyst is molecularly defined, is phosphine-free, and can operate at a mild reaction temperature of 80 °C. Both the heterocycles can be easily assembled via double dehydrogenative coupling, starting from 2-aminobenzyl alcohol/1-phenylethanol and diamine/diol, respectively, in a shorter span of reaction time. This environmentally benign synthetic protocol employing an inexpensive catalyst can rival many other transition-metal systems that have been developed for the fabrication of two putative heterocycles. Mechanistically, the dehydrogenation of secondary alcohol follows clean pseudo-first-order kinetics and exhibits a sizable kinetic isotope effect. Intriguingly, this catalyst provides an example of storing the trapped hydrogen in the ligand backbone, avoiding metal-hydride formation. Easy regeneration of the oxidized form of the catalyst under aerobic/O₂ oxidation makes this protocol eco-friendly and easy to handle.

Nickel-catalysed chemoselective C-3 alkylation of indoles with alcohols through a borrowing hydrogen method

An inexpensive, air-stable, isolable nickel catalyst is reported that can perform chemoselective C3-alkylation of indoles with a variety of alcohols following "borrowing hydrogen". A one-pot, cascade C3-alkylation starting from 2-aminophenyl ethyl alcohols, and thus obviating the need for pre-synthesized indoles, further adds to the broad scope of this method. The reaction is radical-mediated, and is significantly different from other examples, often dictated by metal-ligand bifunctionality.

Handy and highly efficient oxidation of benzylic alcohols to the benzaldehyde derivatives using heterogeneous Pd/AlO(OH) nanoparticles in solvent-free conditions

The selective oxidation of benzylic alcohols was performed by using commercially available aluminum oxy-hydroxide-supported palladium (Pd/AlO(OH)) nanoparticles (0.5 wt.% Pd, about 3 nm size) under mild conditions. The oxidation method comprises the oxidation of benzyl alcohols catalyzed by aluminum oxy-hydroxide-supported palladium under ultrasonic and solvent-free conditions and a continuous stream of O₂. The characterization of aluminum oxy-hydroxide-supported palladium nanocatalyst was conducted by several advanced analytical techniques including scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and elemental analysis by ICP-OES. The oxidation of a variety of benzyl alcohol compounds were tested by the aluminum oxy-hydroxide-supported palladium nanoparticles, and all expected oxidation products were obtained by the high conversion yields within 3 hours. The reaction progress was monitored by TLC (Thin-layer chromatography), and the yields of the products were determined by ¹H-NMR and ¹³C NMR analysis.

Mechanistic insight into the azo radical-promoted dehydrogenation of heteroarene towards N-heterocycles

A mechanistic analysis reflecting the desaturation of heteroarene towards the efficient synthesis of pyrimidine and triazine under mild conditions.

Nickel catalysed construction of benzazoles via hydrogen atom transfer reactions

An air-stable nickel catalyst that promotes two consecutive HAT-mediated dehydrogenations towards furnishing benzazoles.

Hydrogenation and N-alkylation of anilines and imines via transfer hydrogenation with homogeneous nickel compounds

The nickel-catalyzed N-alkylation of a variety of arylamines via transfer hydrogenation in the absence of pressurized hydrogen and basic or acidic additives was achieved in a tandem reaction.