Transfer hydrogenation of nitriles to primary amines over MXene-supported Co nanoparticle catalysts

[Display omitted] •16.9% Co/MXene was prepared by pyrolyzing a ZnCo(1:1)-ZIF/MXene composite.•16.9% Co/MXene showed excellent catalytic behavior in the transfer hydrogenation.•Synergistic effect of Co-Nx and MXene led to the outstanding catalytic performance. The catalytic hydrogenation of nitriles offers an economically viable and environmentally sustainable method for synthesizing primary amines. However, this process usually requires stringent operational conditions and faces significant selectivity issues. This study introduces a series of Co nanoparticle catalysts supported by MXene, designed for the efficient synthesis of primary amines through transfer hydrogenation of nitriles under mild conditions without the need for additives. The Co/MXene catalysts were synthesized by direct pyrolysis of a ZnCo-ZIF/MXene precursor with varying Zn/Co molar ratios at 900 °C in a nitrogen atmosphere. The precursor was pre-synthesized using a self-assembly strategy involving the in-situ growth of ZnCo-ZIF on carboxyl-functionalized MXene surfaces. Among the various catalysts investigated, the 16.9 % Co/MXene catalyst exhibited the best performance in the transfer hydrogenation of benzonitrile, using ammonia borane as the hydrogen source, achieving full conversion and 98.4 % selectivity for benzylamine in a nitrogen atmosphere (1 atm) at 90 °C for 12 h. Comparative analyses indicated that the exceptional performance of 16.9 % Co/MXene stemmed from the synergistic catalysis between the Co-Nx species and the abundant acidic and basic sites of MXene. Additionally, the catalyst’s efficiency was evaluated across a range of nitrile compounds, demonstrating its broad applicability.