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Updated: Sep 25, 2025

Versatile CO2 Transformations into Complex Products: A One-pot Two-step Strategy
Published on: November 9, 2019
Catalyst free N-formylation of aromatic and aliphatic amines exploiting reductive formylation of CO2 using NaBH4
Arun Kumar1, Pankaj Sharma1, Nidhi Sharma1
1Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology Lab, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster 3rd Milestone Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway Faridabad-121001 India dinesh.mahajan@thsti.res.in chemidinesh@gmail.com.
Abstract:
Herein, we report a sustainable approach for N-formylation of aromatic as well as aliphatic amines using sodium borohydride and carbon dioxide gas. The developed approach is catalyst free, and does not need pressure or a specialized reaction assembly. The reductive formylation of CO2 with sodium borohydride generates formoxy borohydride species in situ, as confirmed by 1H and 11B NMR spectroscopy. The in situ formation of formoxy borohydride species is prominent in formamide based solvents and is critical for the success of the N-formylation reactions. The formoxy borohydride is also found to promote transamidation reactions as a competitive pathway along with reductive functionalization of CO2 with amine leading to N-formylation of amines.
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