Straightforward Synthesis of Aromatic Imines from Alcohols and Amines or Nitroarenes Using an Impregnated Copper Catalyst

Abstract The impregnated copper on magnetite catalyst is a versatile system for the synthesis of imines starting from alcohols and amines. This catalyst does not require any type of expensive and difficult to handle organic ligand or typical transition metals, and provides excellent yields achievable under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the catalyst is very easy to remove from the reaction medium by simply using a magnet. The one‐pot process of dehydrogenation of alcohols in the presence of aniline followed by aqueous hydrolysis gave pure alcohols in excellent yields. In addition to amines, nitroarenes could be used as the nitrogen‐containing reagent. In the case of primary amines the expected imines were successfully prepared under similar reaction conditions.