Cobalt-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Coupling of Amines into Imines

Primary amines have been subjected to an acceptorless dehydrogenative homo- and heterocoupling into imines with a cobalt catalyst. The catalytically active species are composed of cobalt nanoparticles, which are generated in situ by heating Co-2(CO)(8) in the presence of trioctylphosphine oxide as a surfactant. The nanoparticles have been characterized by transmission electron microscopy where the image showed spherical and small particles with a narrow size distribution. The catalyst can be recovered and used again with essentially no effect on the yield. The catalyst can also be used for the dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols and amines into imines.