The Journal of Organic Chemistry
Note
3. Preparation of Esters (1a−n). A mixture of the carboxylic acid
(10 mmol), phenol or pyridine-2-ol (10 mmol), DMAP (1 mmol), and
1-ethyl-3-(3-(dimethylamino)propyl)carbodiimide hydrochloride
(EDC·HCl, 10 mmol) in THF (50 mL) was stirred overnight at 25
°C. The resulting mixture was filtered, and the filtrate was evaporated
in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography
(silica gel, ethyl ether/petroleum ether = 1:2−1:5 as the eluent),
affording the corresponding aryl ester 1a−n.
Scheme 2. Proposed Mechanism for the AuNP-Catalyzed
Aminolysis Reaction
4. Aminolysis Reaction for Synthesis of Versatile Amides.
The general procedure for the aminolysis reaction was as follows: A
mixture of ester 1 (0.20 mmol), tertiary amine 2 (0.30 mmol), and 3%
Au/Al2O3 (15 mg, 0.02 mmol, 10 mol %) in PhCl (1.5 mL) was sealed
in a 30 mL vial. The reaction mixture was stirred at 115 or 25 °C for
24 h. After cooling to room temperature, the mixture was filtered, and
the filtrate was evaporated in vacuo. The residue was purified by flash
column chromatography (silica gel, ethyl acetate/petroleum ether =
1:2−1:5 as the eluent) to afford the desired amide 3.
N,N-Diethylindole-2-carboxamide (3aa). Liquid. Yield: 91% (39.3
1
mg). H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ 10.10 (s, 1H), 7.66 (d, J = 7.7
Hz, 1H), 7.46 (d, J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.32−7.19 (m, 1H), 7.19−7.04 (m,
J = 7.1 Hz, 1H), 6.81 (s, 1H), 3.97−3.45 (m, 4H), 1.47−1.24 (m, 6H).
13C NMR (126 MHz, CDCl3): δ 162.3, 135.5, 129.8, 127.9, 124.2,
121.9, 120.3, 111.8, 104.3, 43.4, 39.4, 14.1, 12.8. MS (ESI): m/z
433.02 [2M + H]+. Anal. Calcd for C13H16N2O: C, 72.19; H, 7.46; N,
12.95%. Found: C, 72.15; H, 7.51; N, 13.04%.
to the nitrogen of tertiary amine 2 and reacts with it to give the
iminium-type intermediate by elimination of phenol via the
generally accepted mechanism.11 The complex is then hydro-
lyzed to be converted into the acylgold amino salt by
elimination of aldehyde.4c Reductive elimination from this salt
results in the desired tertiary amide 3 and regenerates Au0 to
complete the catalytic cycle.
In conclusion, it was found for the first time that supported
gold nanoparticles can catalyze the aminolysis reaction between
various aryl esters and inert tertiary amines to form tertiary
amides via C−O and C−N bond activations. Compared with
the homogeneous catalyst Pd(OAc)2, the most outstanding
feature of the AuNP catalyst is its superior ability to catalyze the
aminolysis reaction at room temperature. The experimental
results indicated that the activity order of esters in the
aminolysis reaction is pyridin-2-yl carboxylates > phenyl
carboxylates. Also, electron-withdrawing groups in either the
alkyl part or the acyl part of the ester are more beneficial for
this reaction. This study opens the door to heterogeneous
catalysis of esters by C−O activation and inspires the
application of the catalyzed aminolysis reaction.
N,N-Diethylbenzamide (3ba).12 Yield: 85% (30.1 mg). H NMR
1
(300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.46−7.30 (m, 5H), 3.55 (s, 2H), 3.26 (s, 2H),
1.34−1.02 (m, 6H). 13C NMR (75 MHz, CDCl3): δ 171.7, 136.8,
129.2, 128.4, 126.2, 43.4, 39.4, 14.1, 12.8. MS (ESI): m/z 178.10 [M +
H]+.
5
1
N,N-Diethylpicolinamide (3ca). Yield: 79% (28.1 mg). H NMR
(300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 8.58 (d, J = 4.7 Hz, 1H), 7.89−7.68 (m, 1H),
7.55 (d, J = 7.8 Hz, 1H), 7.40−7.30 (m, 1H), 3.57 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H),
3.36 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H), 1.27 (t, J = 7.0 Hz, 3H), 1.14 (t, J = 7.1 Hz,
3H). MS (ESI): m/z 379.15 [2M + Na]+.
N-Ethyl-N-phenylindole-2-carboxamide (3ab).5 Yield: 48% (25.3
1
mg). H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 9.40 (s, 1H), 7.55−7.46 (m,
3H), 7.40−7.28 (m, 4H), 7.25−7.16 (m, 1H), 7.05−6.94 (m, 1H),
5.18 (d, J = 1.1 Hz, 1H), 3.97 (q, J = 7.1 Hz, 2H), 1.27 (t, J = 7.1 Hz,
3H). MS (ESI): m/z 265.05 [M + H]+.
5
1
N-Ethyl-N-phenylpicolinamide (3bb). Yield: 36% (16.3 mg). H
NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 8.37 (s, 1H), 7.69−7.53 (m, 1H), 7.37
(d, J = 5.7 Hz, 1H), 7.23−6.92 (m, 6H), 4.01 (q, J = 6.5 Hz, 2H), 1.25
(t, J = 8.4 Hz, 3H). MS (ESI): m/z 227.05 [M + H]+.
(1H-Indol-2-yl)(pyrrolidin-1-yl)methanone (3ac).13 Yield: 93%
1
(39.8 mg). H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ 10.07 (s, 1H), 7.68 (d,
EXPERIMENTAL SECTION
J = 8.0 Hz, 1H), 7.49 (d, J = 8.3 Hz, 1H), 7.29 (t, J = 7.6 Hz, 1H), 7.13
(t, J = 7.5 Hz, 1H), 6.90 (s, 1H), 3.90 (t, J = 6.7 Hz, 2H), 3.78 (t, J =
6.8 Hz, 2H), 2.14−2.02 (m, 2H), 2.02−1.92 (m, 2H). 13C NMR (125
MHz, CDCl3): δ 161.0, 135.6, 130.8, 128.1, 124.4, 122.0, 120.3, 111.9,
105.3, 48.3, 47.5, 26.7, 24.0.
■
1. Catalyst Preparation. AuNPs on γ-Al2O3 and other supports
were prepared by the impregnation−reduction method. For example,
3 wt % Au/γ-Al2O3 was prepared by the following procedure: γ-Al2O3
powder (1.0 g) was dispersed into 50 mL of 3.3 × 10−3 HAuCl4
aqueous solution with magnetic stirring, and 0.1 M NaOH aqueous
solution was added to the mixture to adjust the pH to 6. Next, 4 mL of
0.03 M lysine was added with vigorous stirring. To this suspension, 4
mL of 0.35 M NaBH4 solution was added dropwise over 10 min. The
mixture was left to stand for 24 h and then filtered, and the residue was
washed with water and ethanol and dried at 80 °C. The residue was
used directly as the catalyst. Catalysts on other supports were prepared
in a similar manner.
Phenyl(pyrrolidin-1-yl)methanone (3fc).14 Yield: 90% (31.5 mg).
1H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.56−7.44 (m, 2H), 7.44−7.31 (m,
3H), 3.64 (t, J = 7.0 Hz, 2H), 3.41 (t, J = 6.6 Hz, 2H), 2.07−1.90 (m,
2H), 1.90−1.77 (m, 2H). 13C NMR (125 MHz, CDCl3): δ 169.8,
137.2, 129.8, 128.3, 127.1, 49.6, 46.2, 26.4, 24.5.
Pyridin-2-yl(pyrrolidin-1-yl)methanone (3cc). Liquid. Yield: 92%
1
(32.4 mg). H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 8.59 (d, J = 4.6 Hz, 1H),
7.87−7.73 (m, 2H), 7.42−7.31 (m, 1H), 3.74 (t, J = 6.5 Hz, 2H), 3.69
(t, J = 6.6 Hz, 2H), 2.02−1.83 (m, 4H). 13C NMR (100 MHz,
CDCl3): δ 166.6, 154.5, 148.0, 136.9, 124.7, 123.9, 49.1, 46.9, 26.6,
24.1. HRMS (ESI): m/z [M + H]+ calcd for C10H12N2O 177.1028,
found 177.1028.
2. Catalyst Characterization. TEM images were recorded with a
JEOL JEM-1210 transmission electron microscope employing an
accelerating voltage of 200 kV. The samples were suspended in ethanol
and dried on holey carbon-coated Cu grids. The compositions of
samples were determined using the energy-dispersive X-ray spectros-
copy attachment of the transmission electron microscope. The XPS
spectra were measured with an ESCALAB210 spectrometer (British
VG Co.). All of the binding energies were referenced to the C 1s
hydrocarbon peak at 285.00 eV. The UV−vis spectra were obtained
using a Shimadzu UV-2550 spectrophotometer in the range of 200−
800 nm at room temperature with BaSO4 as the reference.
4-(Pyrrolidine-1-carbonyl)benzonitrile (3hc). Liquid. Yield: 94%
1
(37.6 mg). H NMR (500 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.71 (d, J = 8.2 Hz, 2H),
7.61 (d, J = 8.1 Hz, 2H), 3.65 (t, J = 6.9 Hz, 2H), 3.37 (t, J = 6.6 Hz,
2H), 2.03−1.94 (m, 2H), 1.94−1.87 (m, 2H). 13C NMR (126 MHz,
CDCl3): δ 167.6, 141.4, 132.3, 127.8, 118.2, 113.5, 49.5, 46.4, 26.4,
24.4. HRMS (ESI): m/z [M + H]+ calcd for C12H12N2O 201.1028,
found 201.1030.
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dx.doi.org/10.1021/jo500877m | J. Org. Chem. 2014, 79, 6715−6719