Synthesis of N-methylaniline by Aniline Alkylation with Methanol over Sn-MFI Molecular Sieve

Effect of Stannic Species Modification on the Acidity of Silicalite-1 and Its Enhancement in Transforming Ethylenediamine to Heterocyclic Amines

In this study, a series of SnO2 modified zeolite catalysts (Snx-S-1; x is the weight percentage of Sn) were prepared with SnCl2 and a defective Silicalite-1 (S-1) zeolite via facile deposition–precipitation method. It was found that the stannic species modified all-silica zeolite catalysts were active for the intermolecular condensation of ethylenediamine (EDA) to 1, 2-Diazabicyclo [2, 2, 2] octane (TEDA) and piperazine (PIP). The best catalyst Sn6-S-1 (6 wt.% Sn loading) showed 86% EDA conversion and 93% total selectivity to TEDA and PIP. By contrast, the defective S-1 zeolite parent showed only approximately 9% EDA conversion under the same conditions. With the help of catalyst characterization techniques including hydroxyl vibration and pyridine adsorption FT-IR spectroscopy (transmission mode), the enhancement of the catalytic activity of the SnO2 modified zeolite catalysts (Snx-S-1) was mainly attributed to the formation of mild Lewis acid sites in the siliceous zeolite. Both the hydroxyl nests of the defective S-1 zeolite and the dispersed SnO2 clusters should be the important factors for the formation of mild Lewis acid sites on the modified zeolite. Based on the catalytic performance of the modified zeolite in the conversion of EDA to PIP and TEDA, it is inferred that the mildly acidified defective S-1 zeolite by the SnO2 deposition modification might become a very active and durable catalyst for reactions involving strongly alkaline reactants and products.

Efficient and Selective N-Methylation of Nitroarenes under Mild Reaction Conditions

Herein, we report a straightforward protocol for the preparation of N,N-dimethylated amines from readily available nitro starting materials using formic acid as a renewable C₁ source and silanes as reducing agents. This tandem process is efficiently accomplished in the presence of a cubane-type Mo₃ PtS₄ catalyst. For the preparation of the novel [Mo₃ Pt(PPh₃ )S₄ Cl₃ (dmen)₃ ]⁺ (3⁺ ) (dmen: N,N'-dimethylethylenediamine) compound we have followed a [3+1] building block strategy starting from the trinuclear [Mo₃ S₄ Cl₃ (dmen)₃ ]⁺ (1⁺ ) and Pt(PPh₃ )₄ (2) complexes. The heterobimetallic 3⁺ cation preserves the main structural features of its 1⁺ cluster precursor. Interestingly, this catalytic protocol operates at room temperature with high chemoselectivity when the 3⁺ catalyst co-exists with its trinuclear 1⁺ precursor. N-heterocyclic arenes, double bonds, ketones, cyanides and ester functional groups are well retained after N-methylation of the corresponding functionalized nitroarenes. In addition, benzylic-type as well as aliphatic nitro compounds can also be methylated following this protocol.

N,N-Dimethylation of nitrobenzenes with CO2 and water by electrocatalysis

We have proposed a strategy for the synthesis of N,N-dimethylanilines from nitrobenzene and its derivatives, CO2, and water via an electrochemical reaction under ambient conditions. H+ generated from H2O was used as the hydrogen source. Pd/Co-N/carbon, in which the Pd nanoparticles were supported on Co-N/carbon, was designed and used as the electrocatalyst. It was found that the electrocatalyst was very efficient for the reaction in MeCN solution with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Bmim]Tf2N) as the supporting electrolyte and 1-amino-methylphosphonic acid (AMPA) as the thermal co-catalyst. A series of control experiments showed that Pd/Co-N/carbon and AMPA cooperated very well in accelerating the reaction. This synthetic route has some obvious advantages, such as using CO2 and water as the reactants, ambient reaction conditions, and high yields of the desired products. This opens up a way to synthesize chemicals by the combination of an electrocatalyst and a thermal catalyst with organic compounds, CO2, and water as the reactants.

Tandem Transformation of Nitro Compounds into N-Methylated Amines: Greener Strategy for the Utilization of Methanol as a Methylating Agent

A simple air- and moisture-stable, highly efficient ruthenium NNN pincer complex is reported for the first time to catalyze the tandem transformation of various aromatic and aliphatic nitro compounds into the corresponding N-methylated amines in up to 98 % yield by using methanol as a green methylating agent. Gram-scale reactions of challenging nitro substrates demonstrated the practical application aspects of this catalytic system. Importantly, the N-methylamine moiety could be smoothly introduced to various complex molecular structures without using any expensive palladium/phosphine/amine-based cross-coupling reactions.

A general protocol for the reductive N-methylation of amines using dimethyl carbonate and molecular hydrogen: mechanistic insights and kinetic studies

A general and selective ruthenium-catalyzed reductive N-methylation of primary and secondary aromatic and aliphatic amines using dimethyl carbonate as a C₁ source and molecular hydrogen as a reducing agent is reported for the first time.