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Updated: Jan 19, 2026
Catalytic Hydrogenation of Alkene: Applications in Chemistry
Published on: April 30, 2023
Insight into catalyst speciation and hydrogen co-evolution during enantioselective formic acid-driven transfer
Daniel B G Berry1, Anna Codina, Ian Clegg
1Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Claverton Down, BA2 7AY Bath, UK.
Abstract:
Transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone from formic acid/triethylamine mixtures catalysed by the Ikariya-Noyori complex [(mesitylene)RuCl(R,R)-(TsDPEN)] has been investigated using simultaneous high-resolution FlowNMR and FlowUV-Vis spectroscopies coupled with on-line sampling head-space mass spectrometry and chiral high-performance liquid chromatography using an integrated, fully automated recirculating flow setup. In line with previous observations, the combined results show a gradual switch from formic acid dehydrogenation to hydrogen transfer mediated by the same Ru-hydride complex, and point to a Ru-formate species as the major catalyst intermediate. Hydrogen bonding in the formic acid/triethylamine mixture emerges as a sensitive 1H NMR probe for the transfer hydrogenation activity of the system and can be used to locate optimum reaction conditions.
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