Glycerol as a Building Block for Prochiral Aminoketone, N-Formamide, and N-Methyl Amine Synthesis.

Prochiral aminoketones are key intermediates for the synthesis of optically active amino alcohols, and glycerol is one of the main biomass-based alcohols available in industry. In this work, glycerol was catalytically activated and purposefully converted with amines to generate highly valuable prochiral aminoketones, as well as N-formamides and N-methyl amines, over CuNiAlO catalyst. The catalyst structure can be anticipated as nano-Ni species on or in CuAlO via the formation of nano- Cu-Ni alloy particles. This concept may present a novel and valuable methodology for glycerol utilization.