Molecular copper complexes embedded within porous polymer macroligands for the heterogeneously catalyzed aerobic oxidative formation of N–N bonds†

Here we report the synthesis of series of bipyridine-based porous polymers as macroligands for molecular copper complexes. The resulting Cu@N-POP solids efficiently catalyze the dehydrogenative N–N coupling of di-p-tolylamine into the corresponding hydrazine using oxygen as the oxidant. The heterogenization of the Cu-based catalyst within porous macroligands improved the catalytic activity with regard to previously reported Cu-based molecular homogeneous systems. Increasing the availability of the bipyridine sites to Cu coordination led to enhanced catalytic performances.