Efficient transfer hydrogenation reaction Catalyzed by a dearomatized PN3P ruthenium pincer complex under base-free Conditions

• Published in: Journal of organometallic chemistry Vol. 700; pp. 202 - 206
• Main Authors: He, Li-Peng, Chen, Tao, Xue, Dong-Xu, Eddaoudi, Mohamed, Huang, Kuo-Wei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English; Japanese
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.03.2012
• Subjects: Catalysis; Pincer; Ruthenium; Transfer hydrogenation; Transfer hydrogenation; Ruthenium; Catalysis; VQVVCXCSPNIUFJ-UHFFFAOYSA-P; Pincer
• ISSN: 0022-328X; 1872-8561
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jorganchem.2011.10.017

A dearomatized complex [RuH(PN3P)(CO)] (PN3PN, N′-bis(di-tert-butylphosphino)-2,6-diaminopyridine) (3) was prepared by reaction of the aromatic complex [RuH(Cl)(PN3P)(CO)] (2) with t-BuOK in THF. Further treatment of 3 with formic acid led to the formation of a rearomatized complex (4). These new complexes were fully characterized and the molecular structure of complex 4 was further confirmed by X-ray crystallography. In complex 4, a distorted square-pyramidal geometry around the ruthenium center was observed, with the CO ligand trans to the pyridinic nitrogen atom and the hydride located in the apical position. The dearomatized complex 3 displays efficient catalytic activity for hydrogen transfer of ketones in isopropanol. A dearomatized PN3P Ru pincer complex (3) efficiently catalyzes transfer hydrogenation of ketones with i-PrOH via metal-ligand cooperation. [Display omitted] ► Novel PN3P ruthenium pincer complexes were prepared. ► Aromatization–dearomatization through N–H deprotonating was achieved. ► The dearomatized complex efficiently catalyze transfer hydrogenation of ketones.