Synthesis of N-Formylation of Amines using Various Ion Exchanged Forms of Zeolite-A as Catalysts

Formamides represent an important class of intermediates in various organic syntheses. They have been used in the synthesis of some pharmaceutically important compounds such as Fluoroquinolones [1], 1, 2 dihydro quinolones [2] and Nitrogen based heterocyclic compounds [3]. In Lewis bases, its main importance is to catalyze some important reactions such as allylation [4] and hydrosilyation of carbonyl compounds [5] Formamides Act as useful reagent in Vilsmeier Formylation reaction [6]. The main application of Formamides is to use in the synthesis of Formamidines [7] and in peptide synthesis acts as useful amino protecting group [8]. Various methods have been previously reported in literature for the synthesis of N-Formylation of amines and various catalysts were used for this reaction, such as acetic formic anhydride [9], activated formic acid using Dicyclohexylcarbodiimide [10] or,1Ethyl3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl) carbodiimide [11], chloral [12], activated formic esters [13], ammonium formate [14], 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl formate [15], ZnO [16], PEG-400 [17], Formic acid-ZnCl2 [18], polyvinyl alcohol[19], Na+-montmorillonite[20], Nano Cerium Oxide [21], Natrolite zeolite [22], HCOOH Sodium formate [17], Silica-bonded N-Propyl Sulfamic acid [23], TiCl3(OTF) [24], CDMT [25], KF-AL2O3 [26], Formic acid in Toluene [18], Formic acid in polyethylene glycol [17], Natural HEU Zeolite [27]. However above listed methods have some limitations such as long reaction time, formation of undesirable byproducts, hygroscopicity expensive reagents, and thermal instability of the reagents, and high temperature for reaction completion. Keeping in view the above disadvantages, we report a less time consuming method for the synthesis of N-Formylation of amines using various ion exchanged forms of Zeolite A as reusable catalysts.