General and selective reductive amination of carbonyl compounds using a core–shell structured Co ₃ O ₄ /NGr@C catalyst

The application of heterogenized non-noble metal-based catalysts in selective catalytic hydrogenation processes is still challenging. In this respect, the preparation of a well-defined cobalt-based catalyst was investigated by immobilization of the corresponding cobalt(II)-phenanthroline-chelate on Vulcan XC72R carbon powder. The formed core–shell structured cobalt/cobalt oxide nanocomposites are encapsulated by nitrogen-enriched graphene layers. This promising cheap heterogeneous catalyst allows for an efficient domino reductive amination of carbonyl compounds with nitroarenes.