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Continuous Flow Catalytic Reductive Amination of Carbonyl Compounds to Primary Amines with Carbon-Coated Co@CS
Siyi Mi1,2, Yulong Lei2, Jianguo Liu2
1Southeast University-Monash University Suzhou Joint Graduate School, Southeast University, Suzhou, 215000, China.
Abstract:
Reductive amination is crucial for synthesizing amines in pharmaceutical and industry, yet selectively producing primary amines on a large scale remains challenging. This work presents a continuous-flow reductive amination process using benzaldehyde with NH3 and H2 as the nitrogen sources and reductant. A cobalt catalyst supported on nitrogen-doped carbon derived from chitosan (Co@CS) was developed. After optimization, a primary amine yield exceeding 99% was achieved under mild reaction conditions. The catalyst demonstrated excellent stability in long-term tests and with various substrates, including the biomass lignin-derived vanillin. Compared to batch reactors, theflow reactor provided superior selectivity. This catalytic flow process minimizes waste, enhances atom economy, avoids hazardous chemical, and improves energy efficiency. The use of a renewable chitosan feedstock and a safer process aligns with multiple principles of green chemistry. The exceptional heat and mass transfer in the Flow system offers an effective strategy for the large-scale production of primary amines from biomass platform compounds.
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