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.

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 carbon containing moiety comprises a carboxylic acid.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the amine containing moiety comprises an aromatic-1,2-diamine.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the reaction product is a benzimidazole.

11 . 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.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein generating the microdroplets is by use of an electrospray probe or nano-electrospray probe.

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

14 . 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.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the method further comprises collecting the benzimidazole by directing the microdroplets onto a surface.

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

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein the method is conducted without use of a base.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein there is a 1:1 molar ratio of the aromatic-1,2-diamine and the carboxylic acid.

19 . The method of claim 11 , wherein a solvent in the microdroplet is methanol.

20 . The method of claim 11 , 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)).