Preparation of N-acetyl-para-aminophenol via a flow route of a clean amination and acylation of p-nitrophenol catalyzing by core-shell Cu2O@CeO2

The selectivity and reactivity to converse series nitroaromatic into aminobenzenes are especially significant, which play a vital role in synthesizing required drugs or other fine chemicals. Herein, p-nitrophenol (p-NP) has been completely conversed into p-anomiphenol (p-AP) with a high activity factor k (0.033 s(-1).mg(-1)) and reusability by core-shell Cu2O@CeO2 catalyst. N-acetyl-para-aminophenol (paracetamal, APAP) as a model drug was further synthesized via a flow route proceeded in two steps including p-NP reduction and subsequently p-AP acylation with self-constructing device. The yield of the paracetamal is up to 85% with a highly purity. The mechanism investigation justifies the rich-electron centers and cation defects generated from the redox coupled Cu+-> Cu-0 with Ce3+-> Ce4+ will steer selective conversion of p-NP to p-AP, a rate-determining step in the production of APAP. The present results could visualize a highly selective catalyst and a new synthesis route for pharmaceuticals such as paracetamal by using nitroaromatic compounds as the raw materials with environment-friendly, low-cost, easy-manipulation, high-efficiency and high purity. (C) 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University.