Nickel-based perovskite-catalysed direct phenol-to-aniline liquid-phase transformations

Area of Science:

• Catalysis
• Organic Chemistry
• Materials Science

Background:

• Direct amination of phenols is a crucial transformation for synthesizing primary anilines.
• Traditional methods often require harsh conditions, expensive noble metals, or external hydride sources.
• Developing efficient and sustainable catalytic systems remains a significant challenge in organic synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel catalytic system for the direct amination of phenols to primary anilines.
• To utilize bifunctional Lewis acid/redox-active perovskite catalysts for this transformation.
• To achieve efficient amination under mild conditions without external hydride sources or reducing gases.

Main Methods:

• Employing commercial NiLa-perovskite catalysts exhibiting bifunctional Lewis acid and redox-active properties.
• Conducting the liquid-phase direct amination reaction of phenols with hydrazine.
• Optimizing reaction conditions to ensure efficiency in the absence of reducing gases (H2/NH3) and noble metals.

Main Results:

• Successful direct amination of phenols to primary anilines was achieved using NiLa-perovskite catalysts.
• The catalytic system demonstrated high efficiency without the need for external hydride sources.
• The reaction proceeded effectively under mild conditions, free from reducing gases and noble metals.

Conclusions:

• Commercial NiLa-perovskite catalysts function as effective bifunctional agents for direct phenol amination.
• This study presents a sustainable and efficient method for synthesizing primary anilines from phenols.
• The developed strategy offers a valuable alternative to existing amination methods, promoting greener chemical processes.