Issue 21, 2021

Hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by HN(CH2CH2PR2)2-ligated copper complexes

Abstract

HN(CH2CH2PR2)2-ligated copper borohydride complexes, (RPNHP)Cu(BH4) (R = iPr, Cy, tBu), which can be prepared from (RPNHP)CuBr and NaBH4, are capable of catalyzing the hydrogenation of aldehydes in an alcoholic solvent. More active hydrogenation catalysts are (RPNHP)CuBr mixed with KOtBu, allowing various aldehydes and ketones to be efficiently reduced to alcohols except those bearing a nitro, N-unprotected pyrrole, pyridine, or an ester group, or those prone to aldol condensation (e.g., 1-heptanal). Modifying the catalyst structure by replacing the NH group in (iPrPNHP)CuBr with an NMe group results in an inferior catalyst but preserves some catalytic activity. The hexanuclear copper hydride cluster, (iPrPNHP)3Cu6H6, is also competent in catalyzing the hydrogenation of aldehydes such as benzaldehyde and N-methyl-2-pyrrolecarboxaldehyde, albeit accompanied by decomposition pathways. The catalytic performance can be enhanced through the addition of a strong base or iPrPNHP. The three catalytic systems likely share the same catalytically active species, which is proposed to be a mononuclear copper hydride (RPNHP)CuH with the NH group bound to copper.

Graphical abstract: Hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by HN(CH2CH2PR2)2-ligated copper complexes

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Research Article
Submitted
20 Jun 2021
Accepted
28 Aug 2021
First published
30 Aug 2021

Inorg. Chem. Front., 2021,8, 4634-4649

Author version available

Hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by HN(CH2CH2PR2)2-ligated copper complexes

D. A. Ekanayake, A. Chakraborty, J. A. Krause and H. Guan, Inorg. Chem. Front., 2021, 8, 4634 DOI: 10.1039/D1QI00776A

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