Nitrogen enriched polytriazine as a metal-free heterogeneous catalyst for the Knoevenagel reaction under mild conditions

Abstract

A nitrogen enriched (52 wt%) nanoporous polytriazine with a high specific surface area up to 850 m² g⁻¹ was synthesized by an ultra-fast (30 min reaction time) microwave assisted route using the inexpensive precursors cyanuric chloride and melamine at 400 W. The metal-free highly electron rich material was used for the heterogeneous base catalysed Knoevenagel reaction with a high yield of ∼98% in a very short reaction time of 30 min at room temperature. The reaction conditions were optimized and several aromatic aldehydes were reacted with malononitrile with an 81% minimum yield under mild experimental conditions.