Versatile routes for synthesis of diarylamines through acceptorless dehydrogenative aromatization catalysis over supported gold-palladium bimetallic nanoparticles

Diarylamines are an important class of widely utilized chemicals, and development of diverse procedures for their synthesis is of great importance. Herein, we have successfully developed novel versatile catalytic procedures for the synthesis of diarylamines through acceptorless dehydrogenative aromatization. In the presence of a gold-palladium alloy nanoparticle catalyst (Au-Pd/TiO2), various symmetrically substituted diarylamines could be synthesized starting from cyclohexylamines. The observed catalysis of Au-Pd/TiO2 was heterogeneous in nature and Au-Pd/TiO2 could be reused several times without severe loss of catalytic performance. This transformation needs no oxidants and generates molecular hydrogen (three equivalents with respect to cyclohexylamines) and ammonia as the side products. These features highlight the environmentally benign nature of the present transformation. Furthermore, in the presence of Au-Pd/TiO2, various kinds of structurally diverse unsymmetrically substituted diarylamines could successfully be synthesized starting from various combinations of substrates such as (i) anilines and cyclohexanones, (ii) cyclohexylamines and cyclohexanones, and (iii) nitrobenzenes and cyclohexanols. The role of the catalyst and the reaction pathways were investigated in detail for the transformation of cyclohexylamines. The catalytic performance was strongly influenced by the nature of the catalyst. In the presence of a supported gold nanoparticle catalyst (Au/TiO2), the desired diarylamines were hardly produced. Although a supported palladium nanoparticle catalyst (Pd/TiO2) gave the desired diarylamines, the catalytic activity was inferior to that of Au-Pd/TiO2. Moreover, the activity of Au-Pd/TiO2 was superior to that of a physical mixture of Au/TiO2 and Pd/TiO2. The present Au-Pd/TiO2-catalyzed transformation of cyclohexylamines proceeds through complex pathways comprising amine dehydrogenation, imine disproportionation, and condensation reactions. The amine dehydrogenation and imine disproportionation reactions are effectively promoted by palladium (not by gold), and the intrinsic catalytic performance of palladium is significantly improved by alloying with gold. One possible explanation of the alloying effect is the formation of electron-poor palladium species that can effectively promote the beta-H elimination step in the rate-limiting amine dehydrogenation.