Reductive Amination of Aldehyde and Ketone with Ammonia and H 2 by an In Situ -Generated Cobalt Catalyst under Mild Conditions.

Herein, we present the simplest approach for the synthesis of primary amines via reductive amination using H 2 as a reductant and aqueous ammonia as a nitrogen source, catalyzed by amorphous Co particles. The highly active Co particles were prepared in situ by simply mixing commercially available CoCl 2 and NaBH 4 /NaHBEt 3 without any ligand or support. This reaction system features mild conditions (80 °C, 1-10 bar), high selectivity (99%), a wide substrate scope, simple operation, and easy separation of the catalyst. The successful large-scale application of this reaction in the production of primary amines suggests its potential industrial interest.