Redox properties of CeO2 at low temperature: the direct synthesis of imines from alcohol and amine.

We disclosed the redox properties of CeO2 in organic reactions at low temperature of 303 K. CeO2 works as the most effective heterogeneous catalyst for imine formation from benzyl alcohol and aniline at 303 K among various metal oxides and showed more than 38-fold higher activity than other simple metal oxides. CeO2 is applicable to the reaction of various alcohols and amines and gives high yields (80-98%) and high selectivities (89->99%). Kinetic measurements, MS, and FTIR analyses demonstrated that the high activity of CeO2 is a result of reactive oxygen species at the redox sites on CeO2. This discovery can help to create a new field in metal oxide catalysis.