Construction of a thiourea-functionalized metallomacrocycle for the reductive amination of furfural under mild conditions.

A thiourea-functionalized metallomacrocycle was constructed as an efficient homogeneous catalyst for the reductive amination of furfural. Its weakly acidic cavity microenvironment with hydrogen-bonding sites built from thiourea ligands enables the encapsulation of substrate molecules, thereby promoting the condensation of imines and their subsequent reduction.