One-pot Reductive Amination of carbonyl Compounds with Nitro Compounds by Transfer Hydrogenation over Co-Nx as catalyst.

A new method was developed for the synthesis of secondary amines through the one-pot reductive amination of carbonyl compounds with nitro compounds using formic acid as the hydrogen donor over a heterogeneous non-noble-metal catalyst (Co-Nx /C-800-AT, generated by the pyrolysis of the cobalt phthalocyanine/silica composite at 800°C under a N2 atmosphere and subsequent etching by HF). Both nitrogen and cobalt were of considerable importance in the transfer hydrogenation reactions with formic acid.