Mild Hydrogenation of Amides to Amines over a Platinum-Vanadium Bimetallic Catalyst

Abstract

Hydrogenation of amides to amines is an important reaction, but the need for high temperatures and H₂ pressures is a problem. Catalysts that are effective under mild reaction conditions, that is, lower than 30 bar H₂ and 70 °C, have not yet been reported. Here, the mild hydrogenation of amides was achieved for the first time by using a Pt-V bimetallic catalyst. Amide hydrogenation, at either 1 bar H₂ at 70 °C or 5 bar H₂ at room temperature was achieved using the bimetallic catalyst. The mild reaction conditions enable highly selective hydrogenation of various amides to the corresponding amines, while inhibiting arene hydrogenation. Catalyst characterization showed that the origin of the catalytic activity for the bimetallic catalyst is the oxophilic V-decorated Pt nanoparticles, which are 2 nm in diameter.

Keywords: amides; heterogeneous catalysis; hydrogenation; platinum; vanadium.