Functionalised Chitosan as a Green, Recyclable, Supported Catalyst for the Copper-Catalysed Ullmann C-N Coupling Reaction in Water

Functionalised chitosan was synthesised and combined with CuO to yield a recyclable, environment-friendly heterogeneous catalytic system for the Ullmann C-N coupling reaction in water. Various aromatic amines can be readily prepared from both electron-withdrawing and electron-donating aryl halides with anilines, benzylamine, aliphatic amines and imidazole with good to excellent yields, even for the hindered o-substituted aryl halides. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.