Cobalt Single-Atom Catalyst: Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity

One-pot synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles are central reactions for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Despite tremendous progress in heterogeneous catalysis, the synthesis of these nitrogen-containing compounds still remains challenging. Here, we report an efficient, simple, and cost-effective nitrogen-doped CeO₂-supported Co single-atom catalyst (SAC) (Co/N-CeO₂) enabled synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles. As far as we know, this is the first to report that SACs catalyze the synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles. Detailed spectroscopic characterization revealed the structure of catalytic center. Harnessing the catalytic activity of SACs, the work offers promising routes for future synthesis of heterocycles.