Ni nanoparticle/Nitrogen-doped ordered mesoporous carbon as catalyst for C- and N-alkylation of ketones and amines with primary alcohols

Nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon containing Ni nanoparticles (Ni/NOMC) were prepared and thoroughly characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersion X-ray spectroscopy, and N₂ adsorption-desorption analysis. The prepared Ni/NOMC composite was a highly efficient catalyst for direct C- and N- alkylation of ketones and amines with alcohols under hydrogen-borrowing conditions. Based on this protocol, a broad range of ketones and amines could be efficiently alkylated with a set of primary alcohols to obtain their corresponding products in good to excellent isolated yields. Furthermore, this catalytic system could be applied to synthesize quinoline derivatives using 2-aminobenzyl alcohol as an alkylating agent. Satisfyingly, the Ni/NOMC catalyst reused up to 6 runs without significant loss of activities.