{"title":"Sustainable Imine Production Using Alkanes as Substrates via a Plasma-Microdroplet Approach.","authors":"Shuang Sun,Yijie Fu,Xiangrui Bu,Qinhao Shi,Weilong Wu,Xinghui Li,Xiaohao Wang,Quan Yu","doi":"10.1021/jacs.5c06426","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"The direct functionalization of alkanes remains a formidable challenge in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we present an integrated plasma-microdroplet approach for the efficient conversion of alkanes into imines under mild conditions. By employing plasma discharge in a nitrogen atmosphere, inert C-H bonds are selectively activated, generating abundant N-insertion intermediates. These species are then captured by electrosprayed microdroplets, where they undergo rapid transimination with gaseous primary amines, yielding imines with high efficiency. Real-time mass spectrometry analysis reveals a two-step mechanism: initial plasma-driven alkane functionalization followed by microdroplet-accelerated transimination. By synergistically combining the high activation capability of nonthermal plasma with the enhanced reaction dynamics of microdroplets, this method establishes a green alternative to conventional thermal catalysis for sustainable chemical transformation from inert substrates.","PeriodicalId":49,"journal":{"name":"Journal of the American Chemical Society","volume":"4 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":14.4000,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of the American Chemical Society","FirstCategoryId":"92","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.5c06426","RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"化学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"CHEMISTRY, MULTIDISCIPLINARY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
The direct functionalization of alkanes remains a formidable challenge in synthetic chemistry. Herein, we present an integrated plasma-microdroplet approach for the efficient conversion of alkanes into imines under mild conditions. By employing plasma discharge in a nitrogen atmosphere, inert C-H bonds are selectively activated, generating abundant N-insertion intermediates. These species are then captured by electrosprayed microdroplets, where they undergo rapid transimination with gaseous primary amines, yielding imines with high efficiency. Real-time mass spectrometry analysis reveals a two-step mechanism: initial plasma-driven alkane functionalization followed by microdroplet-accelerated transimination. By synergistically combining the high activation capability of nonthermal plasma with the enhanced reaction dynamics of microdroplets, this method establishes a green alternative to conventional thermal catalysis for sustainable chemical transformation from inert substrates.
期刊介绍:
The flagship journal of the American Chemical Society, known as the Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS), has been a prestigious publication since its establishment in 1879. It holds a preeminent position in the field of chemistry and related interdisciplinary sciences. JACS is committed to disseminating cutting-edge research papers, covering a wide range of topics, and encompasses approximately 19,000 pages of Articles, Communications, and Perspectives annually. With a weekly publication frequency, JACS plays a vital role in advancing the field of chemistry by providing essential research.