Preparation, characterization and application of nanosized CuO/HZSM-5 as an efficient and heterogeneous catalyst for the N-formylation of amines at room temperature.

An efficient and new method for the synthesis of formamides using HZSM-5 zeolite supported copper oxide nanoparticles as an efficient and heterogeneous catalyst is reported. The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), temperature programmed desorption of ammonia (TPD-NH3) and Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). This method has the advantages of eliminating homogeneous catalysts and provides simple methodology with easy work up. Excellent yields of the corresponding formamides were obtained through this cost-effective protocol under solvent-free conditions with shorter reaction time. The catalyst was easily isolated from the reaction mixture by filtration and reused several times without significant loss in its catalytic.