Reductive amination of triglycerides to fatty amines over a titanium oxide-supported Pt-Mo catalyst

Org Biomol Chem. 2025 Jan 6. doi: 10.1039/d4ob01843e. Online ahead of print.

Abstract

The reductive amination of naturally abundant triglycerides is a promising approach for the synthesis of fatty amines. However, existing catalytic systems for this transformation typically require harsh reaction conditions. Herein, we present a titanium oxide-supported platinum-molybdenum (Pt-Mo/TiO2) catalyst that promotes the reductive amination of triglycerides to fatty amines. The Pt-Mo/TiO2 catalyst exhibits a high activity under milder conditions, specifically at 1 MPa of H2, surpassing the performance of previously reported catalysts. A wide range of triglycerides, including cooking oils, are successfully converted into the corresponding fatty amines in high yields. The Pt-Mo/TiO2 catalyst is reusable and applicable to gram-scale reactions, demonstrating the high potential of Pt-Mo/TiO2 for green and sustainable fatty amine production.