Cobalt Single‐Atom Catalyst: Synthesis, Characterization and Catalytic Activity

ABSTRACT One‐pot synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles are central reactions for synthesizing pharmaceuticals and fine chemicals. Despite tremendous progress in heterogeneous catalysis, the synthesis of these nitrogen‐containing compounds still remains challenging. Here, we report an efficient, simple, and cost‐effective nitrogen‐doped CeO2‐supported Co single‐atom catalyst (SAC) (Co/N‐CeO2) enabled synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles. As far as we know, this is the first to report that SACs catalyze the synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles. Detailed spectroscopic characterization revealed the structure of catalytic center. Harnessing the catalytic activity of SACs, the work offers promising routes for future synthesis of heterocycles. We present a novel and cost‐effective single atom catalyst (SAC) consisting of Co atoms supported on nitrogen‐doped CeO2 (Co/N‐CeO2) for the one‐pot synthesis of acetamides, benzimidazoles, and benzothiazoles. This is the first report demonstrating the efficacy of SAC in catalyzing these important nitrogen‐containing compounds. Comprehensive spectroscopic analysis elucidates the catalytic center's structure, showcasing SACs as a promising tool for future heterocyclic synthesis.