Magnetic Hollowed CoFe Alloy@C Prism Catalyst for N-Alkylation of Alcohols and Amines.

A novel magnetic hollowed CoFe@C-650 prism catalyst has been successfully prepared and applied in the N-alkylation of alcohols and amines through a hydrogen borrowing strategy. The catalyst demonstrates good to excellent activities in the reaction with a broad substrate scope to afford up to a 99% yield of target products. A preliminary mechanistic study reveals that a high valent Co species in the catalyst may promote the adsorption and conversion of alcohols, while the Fe species assists in hydrogenating the imine intermediates.