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Title: Aluminum‐Ligand Cooperative O−H Bond Activation Initiates Catalytic Transfer Hydrogenation
Abstract Molecular design ultimately furnishes improvements in performance over time, and this has been the case for Rh‐ and Ir‐based molecular catalysts currently used in transfer hydrogenation (TH) reactions for fine chemical synthesis. In this report, we describe a molecular pincer ligand Al catalyst for TH, (I2P2−)Al(THF)Cl (I2P=diiminopyridine; THF=tetrahydrofuran). The mechanism for TH is initiated by two successive Al‐ligand cooperative bond activations of the O−H bonds in two molecules of isopropanol (iPrOH) to afford six‐coordinate (H2I2P)Al(OiPr)2Cl. Stoichiometric chemical reactions and kinetic experiments suggest an ordered transition state, supported by polar solvents, for concerted hydride transfer fromiPrOto substrate. Metal‐ligand cooperative hydrogen bonding in a cyclic transition state is a likely support for the concerted hydride transfer event. The available data does not support involvement of an intermediate Al‐hydride in the TH. Proof‐of‐principle reactions including the conversion of isopropanol and benzophenone to acetone and diphenylmethanol with 90 % conversion in 1 h are described. The analogous hydride compound, (I2P2−)Al(THF)H, also cleaves the O−H bond iniPrOH to afford (HI2P)Al(OiPr)H and (HI2P)Al(OiPr)2, but no activity for catalytic TH was observed.  more » « less
Award ID(s):
2054529
PAR ID:
10370741
Author(s) / Creator(s):
 ;  ;  ;  ;  
Publisher / Repository:
Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
Date Published:
Journal Name:
ChemCatChem
Volume:
14
Issue:
13
ISSN:
1867-3880
Format(s):
Medium: X
Sponsoring Org:
National Science Foundation
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