Catalytic activity of Cu-BTC metal organic framework for borrowing hydrogen and tandem reactions of an alcohol under solvent and base free condition

The Cu-BTC (copper(II)-benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate) metal–organic framework was found to be a potential, stable and reusable catalyst for the solvent- and base-free borrowing hydrogen and tandem reactions of an alcohol. The Cu-BTC exhibited borrowing hydrogen activity in N-alkylation of aniline with benzyl alcohol, a model reaction of borrowing hydrogen, giving the saturated product (N-alkylated aniline). However, the formation of unsaturated product (chalcone) in the reaction of acetophenone with benzyl alcohol for α-C-alkylation, another model reaction of borrowing hydrogen, showed potential of Cu-BTC for the catalysis of tandem reactions to synthesize unsaturated products utilizing alcohols as a reagent. The study shows that the Cu-O pair sites of Cu-BTC are involved in the catalysis of borrowing hydrogen and tandem reactions.