Recyclable copper catalyst supported over ceria for acceptorless dehydrogenative synthesis of quinolines

This study presents a highly efficient and cost‐effective Cu/CeO2 catalyst for the acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) of o‐aminobenzyl alcohols and secondary alcohols to synthesize quinolines. The catalyst demonstrated over 90% yield in quinoline production under mild conditions, exhibiting excellent tolerance to various functional groups. The Cu/CeO2 catalyst, synthesized via a co‐precipitation method, was thoroughly characterized through various techniques like PXRD, XPS, and AC‐STEM. Control experiments confirmed the ADC pathway, where both alcohol substrates underwent dehydrogenation, forming key intermediates that subsequently condensed to produce quinolines. This catalytic system, offering recyclability and high efficiency, is a promising alternative to noble metal‐based catalysts for sustainable quinoline synthesis.