Toward Renewable Amines: Recent Advances in the Catalytic Amination of Biomass-Derived Oxygenates

Synthesis of high-value-added chemicals from biomass and/or biomass-derived platform molecules is considered an important strategy to mitigate the global dependency on fossil resources and include renewable resources in a circular economy. In recent years, the synthesis of bio-based plastics has received significant attention as a potential alternative to conventional industrial processes. Thus, a lot of effort has been put into the development of not only different classes of biomonomers but also bio-based drop-in chemicals. Amine-derived molecules, especially alcohol-amines, diamines, and N-heterocyclic amines, are the most important classes of functional monomers for the production of polyamides, polyimides, polyurethanes, and polyureas. Additionally, these amines are extensively used in pharmaceuticals. In this review, we will give a concise overview of the up-to-date methods for the production of industrially important amines from biomass-derived oxygenates. Special attention will be given to the catalytic amination of biomass aldehyde- and alcohol-based oxygenates, reaction mechanism, catalyst stability, as well as their specific challenges and opportunities. We anticipate this critical and comprehensive review to provide detailed insights into the synthesis of bio-based amines and guide the development of effective greener synthetic methodologies.