Alumina-entrapped Ag catalyzed nitro compounds coupled with alcohols using borrowing hydrogen methodology.

Supported silver catalysts were reported for the first time to be able to catalyze the coupling reaction between nitroarenes and alcohols via the borrowing hydrogen scheme. The recyclable, non-leaching catalyst is synthesized by the entrapment method, which allows entrapping of silver nanoparticles in an alumina matrix. Alcohols, acting as the reducing agents for nitro-groups, alkylated the resultant amines smoothly over these silver catalysts giving a yield of >98% towards the N-substituted amines. In this process, multiple steps were realized in one-pot over a single catalyst with very high efficiency. It offers another clean and economic way to achieve amination of alcohols.