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Updated: Apr 18, 2026

Light-driven Enzymatic Decarboxylation
Published on: May 22, 2016
Reversible catalytic dehydrogenation of alcohols for energy storage
Peter J Bonitatibus1, Sumit Chakraborty2, Mark D Doherty3
1Chemical & Environmental Systems Organization, GE Global Research, Niskayuna, NY 12309; and.
Abstract:
Reversibility of a dehydrogenation/hydrogenation catalytic reaction has been an elusive target for homogeneous catalysis. In this report, reversible acceptorless dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols and diols on iron pincer complexes and reversible oxidative dehydrogenation of primary alcohols/reduction of aldehydes with separate transfer of protons and electrons on iridium complexes are shown. This reactivity suggests a strategy for the development of reversible fuel cell electrocatalysts for partial oxidation (dehydrogenation) of hydroxyl-containing fuels.
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