A one-step reaction
system has been developed to convert glucose
and other renewable carbohydrates into important N-heterocyclic compounds
in ammonia solution. Under optimal conditions, 2-methyl pyrazine (MP)
and 4(5)-methyl imidazole (MI) were produced within 15 min with combined
yields of around 40%. While the formation of 4(5)-MI was identified
as a noncatalytic process, the yield of 2-MP was highly influenced
by the presence of catalysts. In particular, nearly 3-fold yield enhancement
of 2-MP was achieved over several tungsten-based catalysts. Control
experiments, isotope-labeling tests, ESI-MS, and NMR analysis revealed
that the formation of 2-MP follows a fragmentation mechanism, while
small tungsten clusters such as [HW2O7]− and [W4O13]2– were the catalytically active species facilitating both glucose
fragmentation and the subsequent cyclization reaction to generate
pyrazine rings. The work exemplifies the possibility of sustainable
production of important N-containing, heterocyclic
chemicals from woody biomass, where the identification and understanding
of novel catalysts are the key.