Buchwald-Hartwig couplings can modify the pyrimidin-2-amines. Since the pyrimidin-2-amine structures widely exist in medicines, the reaction is of significant industrial application values. The polyaniline-supported copper catalyst (Cu@PANI) was synthesized via the oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of copper salt and it could catalyze the Buchwald-Hartwig couplings of pyrimidin-2-amines. Since the nitrogen in polyaniline could well coordinate with copper, the reaction did not require additional ligands and occurred at relatively high catalyst turnover numbers (TONs). As a heterogeneous catalyst, Cu@PANI could be recycled and reused to reduce the cost of catalyst, and meet the requirements of industrial application.

Key words: polyaniline, copper, catalysis, Buchwald-Hartwig coupling, ligand-free