Open frame-like Co-Fe oxides superstructures for highly efficient cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction of N-phenyltetrahydroisoquinoline under mild conditions

An open frame-like Co-Fe oxides catalyst has been successfully prepared using a time-controlled strategy. Benefiting from the unique open frame-like superstructure and synergistic bimetallic composition, this novel catalyst exhibits excellent catalytic activity (up to 91 % isolated yield) and substrate suitability for Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling reaction (CDC) of N-phenyltetrahydroisoquinolines and nitroalkanes using oxygen as the oxidant under mild reaction conditions. And after several runs, the reused catalyst still maintains great stability. This may attributed to the interaction between Fe and Co. In addition, through the radical trapping experiments, we found that O2·− species play an important role in the cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.