Reductive Amination of Carbonyl Compounds over Silica Supported Palladium Exchanged Molybdophosphoric Acid Catalysts

Abstract  

Palladium exchanged molybdophosphoric acid supported on silica is reported as a highly effective catalyst for direct reductive amination of carbonyl compounds. The catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction and FT-infrared spectroscopy. The characterization results support the existence of Keggin ion of heteropoly molybdate on silica. The catalyst is facile, water tolerable and environmentally benign for reductive amination. A variety of secondary and tertiary amines can be synthesized over this catalyst in excellent yields under mild reaction conditions. A plausible reaction mechanism is proposed for the reductive amination of carbonyl compounds over this catalyst.