Synthesis of 5-isothiocyanato-1,10-phenanthroline

Reduction of 5-nitro-1,10-phenanthroline with hydrogen over Pd/C, followed by the treatment of 1,10-phenanthrolin-5-amine with thiophosgene in the presence of sodium acetate, gave 5-isothiocyanato-1,10-phenanthroline which is a thermally stable highly reactive ligand capable of quantitatively forming covalently bonded nanohybrid structures in a system transition metal complex-silica under mild conditions.