Activity of ceria and ceria-supported gold nanoparticles for the carbamoylation of aliphatic amines by dimethyl carbonate

Aliphatic amines react sluggishly with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) to give a mixture of N-methylation and carbamoylation. Nanoparticulated ceria as catalyst increases, in general, conversion and selectivity toward carbamoylation. This increase in catalytic activity and selectivity toward carbamoylation is even increased by deposition of Au nanoparticles on ceria. However, in contrast to aromatic amines for which a complete selectivity toward carbamoylation using ceria-supported Au nanoparticles can be achieved, the catalytic carbamoylation of aliphatic amines by ceria-supported Au nanoparticles occurs only with moderate selectivity.