Cobalt mediated N-alkylation of amines by alcohols: role of hydrogen bonding pocket

Cobalt complexes of amide-based pincers provide a hydrogen bonding pocket that is shown to bind a reagent in the vicinity of a metal center. These cobalt complexes function as non-precious metal based catalysts for the N-alkylation of amines using alcohols via a borrowing hydrogen strategy. Binding studies and mechanistic investigations illustrated the involvement of a few critical intermediates that potentially participated in the catalysis.

Automated summary

Cobalt complexes of amide-based pincers provide a hydrogen bonding pocket to bind a reagent near a metal center, functioning as non-precious metal based catalysts for N-alkylation of amines using alcohols via borrowing hydrogen strategy. Binding studies and mechanistic investigations suggest involvement of critical intermediates in the catalysis process.