N‐Methyl‐ and N‐alkylamines represent important fine and bulk chemicals that are extensively used in both academic research and industrial production. Notably, these structural motifs are found in a large number of life‐science molecules and play vital roles in regulating their activities. Therefore, the development of convenient and cost‐effective methods for the synthesis and functionalization of amines by using earth‐abundant metal‐based catalysts is of scientific interest. In this regard, herein we report an expedient reductive amination process for the selective synthesis of N‐methylated and N‐alkylated amines by using nitrogen‐doped, graphene‐activated nanoscale Co₃O₄‐based catalysts. Starting from inexpensive and easily accessible nitroarenes or amines and aqueous formaldehyde or aldehydes in the presence of formic acid, this cost‐efficient reductive amination protocol allows the synthesis of various N‐methyl‐ and N‐alkylamines, amino acid derivatives, and existing drug molecules.

中文翻译：

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使用可重复使用的氧化钴纳米粒子通过还原胺化反应方便地合成N-甲基和N-烷基胺

N-甲基和N-烷基胺代表重要的精细化学品和散装化学品，已广泛用于学术研究和工业生产中。值得注意的是，这些结构基序存在于大量生命科学分子中，并在调节其活动中起着至关重要的作用。因此，通过使用富含地球的金属基催化剂开发一种方便，经济高效的胺合成和官能化方法的研究具有科学意义。在这方面，我们在此报告了一种便捷的还原胺化工艺，该工艺通过使用氮掺杂的石墨烯活化的纳米级Co ₃ O ₄选择性合成N-甲基化和N-烷基化的胺。基于催化剂。从廉价且易于获得的硝基芳烃或胺和甲醛水溶液或存在甲酸的甲酸开始，这种经济高效的还原胺化方案可合成各种N-甲基和N-烷基胺，氨基酸衍生物和现有药物分子。