Synthesis of Primary Amines via Reductive Amination of Aldehydes and Ketones Over a Ni-Doped MFM-300(Cr) Catalyst

The development of earth-abundant metal-based catalysts is an important goal for the synthesis of fine chemicals. Here, an active nickel catalyst supported on a robust metal–organic framework, MFM-300(Cr), is reported which shows an exceptional performance for reductive amination, a reaction that has long been dominated by noble metals. Ni/MFM-300(Cr) promotes the synthesis of 38 primary amines via reductive amination of their parent carbonyl compounds, including biomass-derived aldehydes and ketones, using NH₃ in the presence of H₂ operating under relatively mild conditions (5 bar and 160 °C). X-ray absorption spectroscopy confirms the formation of mixtures of metallic Ni⁰ and Niⁿ⁺ active sites, while in situ inelastic neutron scattering, coupled with modeling, reveals details of the mechanism of catalysis involving the formation of N-benzyl-1-phenylmethanediamine (BPDI) as an intermediate species in the generation of benzylamine. Cooperativity between Ni sites and MFM-300(Cr) creates an optimal microenvironment for the efficient activation of carbonyl compounds and the selective production of primary amines using a non-precious metal-based catalyst.