Cobalt nanoparticle adorned on boron- and nitrogen-doped 2D-carbon material for Sonogashira cross-coupling reactions: Greener and efficient synthesis of anti-cancer drug, Ponatinib

• Synthesis of boron- and nitrogen-doped 2D-carbon reusable catalysts and their characterization. • Pd-free catalyzed Sonogashira cross-coupling of substituted heterocyclic acetylenes and aryls. • The expanded scope of high-yielding reaction under mild and sustainable conditions in high. • Greener, sustainable and efficient synthesis of the anti-cancer drug, Ponatinib. Herein, a novel heterogeneous cobalt catalyst was synthesized, characterized and its efficiency in Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction was investigated. Nano cobalt species dispersed on a graphene-like carbonaceous 2D network comprising nitrogen and boron atoms sites, were produced by synthesizing of NHC-cobalt complex followed by 2D metal-organic hybrid preparation and a high-temperature pyrolysis in the final step. A combination of assorted analytical techniques like TEM, XRD, EA, ICP, and XPS studies endorsed the structure of the catalyst. This catalyst exhibited unprecedented efficiency in Pd-free coupling of various substituted challenging heterocyclic acetylenes and aryls. In addition to sustainable and green reaction conditions, the catalytic system displayed the brilliant feature of stability and reusability even after 12 runs. Finally, we used this catalytic system in the synthesis of Ponatinib in fewer steps and at much lower costs than available commercial synthesis methods; Ponatinib is a recently FDA-approved multi-tyrosine kinase inhibitor, anti-sarcomas cancer agent, and a drug for common neurodegenerative diseases.