Nano-cobalt anchored on chitosan-derived N-doped porous carbon: an efficient catalyst for α-alkylation of ketones with alcohols via borrowing hydrogen.

To address the challenges in developing green and efficient heterogeneous catalysis for the α-alkylation of ketones via the borrowing hydrogen strategy, a novel supported cobalt nanoparticle (QNCM@Co) catalyst was rationally designed and prepared. This catalyst features nano-cobalt anchored on N-doped porous carbon microspheres derived from quinoline-8-carboxaldehyde-modified chitosan microspheres. Structural characterization results indicated that the carrier possesses abundant nanopores and N/O functional groups, enabling effective anchoring and uniform dispersion of nano-cobalt particles. Moreover, the Co-N/O coordination structure at the nanoscale surface modulates the electronic structure of the active sites. QNCM@Co exhibited a high catalytic activity in the borrowing hydrogen α-alkylation reaction of ketones and alcohols, which outperformed most reported homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. It also demonstrated excellent cycling stability and broad substrate scope.