Campus Units

Chemistry, Ames Laboratory

Document Type

Article

Publication Version

Published Version

Publication Date

1-2012

Journal or Book Title

Organometallics

Volume

31

Issue

7

First Page

2785

Last Page

2792

DOI

10.1021/om201068g

Abstract

Bulk gold powder (∼5–50 μm particles) catalyzes the reactions of isocyanides with amines and amine N-oxides to produce ureas. The reaction of n-butyl isocyanide (nBu–N≡C) with di-n-propylamine and N-methylmorpholine N-oxide in acetonitrile, which was studied in the greatest detail, produced 3-butyl-1,1-dipropylurea (O═C(NHnBu)(NnPr2)) in 99% yield at 60 °C within 2 h. Sterically and electronically different isocyanides, amines, and amine N-oxides react successfully under these conditions. Detailed studies support a two-step mechanism that involves a gold-catalyzed reaction of adsorbed isocyanide with the amine N-oxide to form an isocyanate (RN═C═O), which rapidly reacts with the amine to give the urea product. These investigations show that bulk gold, despite its reputation for poor catalytic activity, is capable of catalyzing these reactions.

Comments

Reprinted (adapted) with permission from Organometallics 31 (2012): 2785, doi:10.1021/om201068g. Copyright 2012 American Chemical Society.

Copyright Owner

American Chemical Society

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

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