Metal–Organic Framework Based on Copper and Carboxylate‐Imidazole as Robust and Effective Catalyst in the Oxidative Amidation of Carboxylic Acids and Formamides

Abstract

A metal–organic framework (MOF) based on copper and 1,3‐bis(carboxymethyl)imidazole (bcmim) was prepared on a gram scale by using a precipitation method at room temperature. The Cu(bcmim)2 MOF was shown to be an efficient catalyst for the preparation of amides through an oxidative coupling between carboxylic acids and formamides in the presence of an oxidant, such as tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). The method for the preparation of the amides is robust regardless of the carboxylic acid and gives good conversions with good selectivity. The heterogeneous catalyst was recovered unaltered after the reaction, was easily separated from the reaction mixture, and subsequently reactivated by suitable treatment. Moreover, the coupling reaction was scaled up to a gram scale, which allowed for the preparation of valuable products, such as fatty acid amides (i.e., 1‐palmitoylpiperidine).