Selective Catalytic Transfer Dehydrogenation of Alkanes and Heterocycles by an Iridium Pincer Complex
Abstract
Catalytic alkane dehydrogenation is a reaction with tremendous potential for application. We describe a highly active PSCOP-pincer iridium catalyst for transfer dehydrogenation of cyclic and linear alkanes. The dehydrogenation of linear alkanes occurs under relatively mild conditions with high regioselectivity for α-olefin formation. In addition, the catalyst system is very effective in the dehydrogenation of heterocycles to form heteroarenes and olefinic products.
With just a pinch of iridium: A new PSCOP-pincer Ir complex exhibits unprecedented activity for the catalytic transfer dehydrogenation of cyclic and linear alkanes. The system effects regioselective dehydrogenation of linear alkanes to α-olefins under rather mild conditions. The Ir complex can be used in the selective catalytic dehydrogenation of a wide range of O- and N-heterocycles.