CuO grafted triazine functionalized covalent organic framework as an efficient catalyst for C-C homo coupling reaction

Abstract

Designing of low cost catalytic system for new C-C bond formation reactions is very challenging in synthetic organic chemistry. Herein, we report a new copper oxide immobilized covalent organic framework (COF) material CuII-TRIPTA by grafting of CuO nanoparticles at the surface of a nitrogen rich porous COF material TRIPTA. TRIPTA has been synthesized through the extended Schiff base reaction between 2,4,6-triformylphloroglucinol and 1,3,5-tris-(4-aminophenyl) triazine. The COF as well as CuO loaded materials are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), N2 adsorption-desorption, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetry (TG) and EPR spectroscopic analyses. CuII-TRIPTA material has been successfully applied as heterogeneous nanocatalyst for the C-C homo-coupling reaction of phenylboronic acids to synthesise wide range of biaryl compounds under mild and eco-friendly conditions (60 °C, methanol solvent). Remarkably high specific surface area of CuII-TRIPTA (583 m2 g−1) and highly accessible catalytic sites in the 2D-hexagonal COF nano-architecture potentially makes it excellent catalyst in the C-C bond formation reaction, which is evident from the high TON of the catalyst in this reaction. The catalyst was recollected and reused till 6th cycles without any noticeable change of its catalytic activity, suggesting its high catalytic efficiency in this C-C bond formation reaction.