Alumina supported copper nanoparticles for aziridination and cyclopropanation reactions

Alumina supported copper (Cu-Al2O3) nanoparticles were prepared and applied for the aziridination of olefins employing [N-(p-tolylsulfonyl)imino]phenyliodinane (PhI = NTs) as nitrene source to afford the corresponding 3-membered cyclic compounds in moderate to excellent yields. Cyclopropanation of several olefins was also carried out by using Cu-Al2O3 nanoparticles and ethyl diazoacetate as a carbene source. The catalyst was recovered by simple centrifugation and reused for four cycles. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.