Diatomic cobalt–catalyzed cyclization of o-aminobenzyl alcohol with amidine for the synthesis of quinazolines

This article describes the development of a stable and reusable diatomic cobalt catalyst for the synthesis of various quinazoline derivatives via the dehydrogenation cyclization reaction of anthranilic alcohol with amidine in a simple and environmental friendly manner. Crystallographic studies reveal that the superior catalytic reactivity can be attributed to the synergistic cooperation between the adjacent cobalt active centers within a confined domain for the co-adsorption and co-activation of substrates. This work provides new insights into the application of heterogeneous catalysts in organic synthesis.