This technology is an aerobic oxidative conversion method that produces nitriles by using aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate as starting materials, operating a non-metal catalyst system consisting of 4-AcNH-TEMPO nitroxyl radicals and HNO3·NaNO2 nitrogen oxides in an acetic acid solvent under an oxygen atmosphere.
Nitriles are key intermediates in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and dyes, but they have generally been manufactured using toxic metal cyanides such as KCN or NaCN. Methods using less toxic cyanide sources have mostly relied on transition-metal-catalyzed cross-coupling, which results in halide byproducts and complex processes.
This technology oxidizes the imine intermediate formed by the condensation of aldehyde and ammonia using a catalytic system with two interlocking redox cycles. By using only oxygen as the terminal oxidant, it selectively produces nitriles from various aromatic substrates with yields of up to 99%. It can be applied to the production of pharmaceutical ingredients, agrochemicals, and fine chemical intermediates, enabling eco-friendly nitrile manufacturing without the issues of toxic cyanides or transition metal residues.
This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for the development of eco-friendly and economical selective aerobic oxidation reactions.
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