Methods of coupling a carbon containing moiety to an amine containing moiety

1. A method of coupling a carbon containing moiety to an amine containing moiety, the method comprising: generating a microdroplet comprising a carbon containing moiety and an amine containing moiety, wherein the microdroplet comprises an acidic surface that facilitates a reaction between the carbon containing moiety and the amine containing moiety and generates a reaction product comprising a carbon-nitrogen bond via the amine of the amine containing moiety; wherein the carbon containing moiety is an aromatic-1,2-diamine that is at least one selected from the group consisting of: 1,2-phenyldiamine (PDA), 4-methyl-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-nitro-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-chloro-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-methoxy-1.2-phenyldiamine, 1,2-diaminonapthalene); and the carboxylic acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of: (formic acid (FA), acetic acid (AA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA), propanoic acid (PA) and benzoic acid (BA)).

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein generating the microdroplet is by use of an electrospray probe or nano-electrospray probe.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microdroplet generates an environment that accelerates a rate of the reaction as compared to the same reaction occurring outside of a microdroplet environment.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises analyzing the reaction product in a mass spectrometer by directing the microdroplets into the mass spectrometer.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises collecting the reaction product by directing the microdroplets onto a surface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is conducted without use of a metal or metal catalyst.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the method is conducted without use of a base.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction product is a benzimidazole.

9. A method of producing a benzimidazole, the method comprising: generating a microdroplet comprising a carboxylic acid and an aromatic-1,2-diamine, wherein the microdroplet comprises an acidic surface that facilitates a reaction between the carboxylic acid and the aromatic-1,2-diamine and generates a benzimidazole, wherein: the aromatic-1,2-diamine is at least one selected from the group consisting of: 1,2-phenyldiamine (PDA), 4-methyl-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4,5-dimethyl-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-nitro-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-chloro-1,2-phenyldiamine, 4-methoxy-1.2-phenyldiamine, 1,2-diaminonapthalene); and the carboxylic acid is at least one selected from the group consisting of: (formic acid (FA), acetic acid (AA), trifluoroacetic acid (TFAA), propanoic acid (PA) and benzoic acid (BA)).

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein generating the microdroplets is by use of an electrospray probe or nano-electrospray probe.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein microdroplet generates an environment that accelerates a rate of the reaction as compared to the same reaction occurring outside of a microdroplet environment.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises analyzing the benzimidazole in a mass spectrometer by directing the microdroplets into the mass spectrometer.

13. The method of claim 9 , wherein the method further comprises collecting the benzimidazole by directing the microdroplets onto a surface.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the method is conducted without use of a metal or metal catalyst.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the method is conducted without use of a base.

16. The method of claim 9 , wherein there is a 1:1 molar ratio of the aromatic-1,2-diamine and the carboxylic acid.

17. The method of claim 9 , wherein a solvent in the microdroplet is methanol.