Coupling MOF-based photocatalysis with Pd catalysis over Pd@MIL-100 (Fe) for efficient N-alkylation of amines with alcohols under visible light

Pd nanoparticles with an average size of 1.7 nm confined inside a MIL-100(Fe) cavity (Pd@MIL-100(Fe)) were prepared via double-solvent impregnation combined with a photoreduction process. Due to efficient coupling of photocatalytic dehydrogenation and Pd-based hydrogenation, the resultant Pd@MIL-100(Fe) showed significantly superior performance in light-induced N-alkylation of amines with alcohols over Pd/MIL-100(Fe), in which larger Pd nanoparticles (6-12 nm) deposited on the external surface of MIL-100(Fe) were prepared via a conventional single-solvent impregnation followed by a similar photoreduction process. Kinetic studies and controlled experiments revealed that the whole N-alkylation reaction is limited by the photocatalytic alcohol-to-aldehyde dehydrogenation reaction. This is the first demonstration of light-induced N-alkylation of amines by alcohols over M/MOFs nanocomposites and also highlights the great potential of using M/MOFs nanocomposites as multifunctional catalysts for light-induced organic syntheses. (C) 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.