Amidation via ligand-free direct oxidative C(sp3)-H/N[sbnd]H coupling with Cu-CPO-27 metal-organic framework as a recyclable heterogeneous catalyst

Abstract

A copper-based metal-organic framework Cu-CPO-27 was synthesized, and used as a recyclable catalyst for the amidation of unactivated alkanes by benzamides via direct oxidative C(sp3)-H/NH coupling under ligand-free conditions. Using a catalytic amount of the Cu-CPO-27 for the transformation, high yields of N-cyclohexyl benzamides were achieved. The Cu-CPO-27 was more catalytically active than other Cu-MOFs such as Cu3(BTC)2, Cu(BDC), Cu(EDB), Cu2(BPDC)2(BPY), Cu2(BDC)2(DABCO), and Cu2(EDB)2(BPY). The Cu-CPO-27 also exhibited advantages as compared to several copper-based salts, including Cu(OAc)2, CuCl2, CuBr, CuI, CuCl, Cu(NO3)2, and CuSO4. The Cu-CPO-27 catalyst could be reused several times for the amidation transformation while its catalytic activity was not decreased significantly. To the best of our knowledge, the amidation of unactivated alkanes by benzamides via direct oxidative C(sp3)-H/NH coupling was not previously performed under heterogeneous catalysis conditions.