Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation02:17

Reduction of Alkenes: Asymmetric Catalytic Hydrogenation

3.8K
Catalytic hydrogenation of alkenes is a transition-metal catalyzed reduction of the double bond using molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. The mode of hydrogen addition follows syn stereochemistry.
The metal catalyst used can be either heterogeneous or homogeneous. When hydrogenation of an alkene generates a chiral center, a pair of enantiomeric products is expected to form. However, an enantiomeric excess of one of the products can be facilitated using an enantioselective reaction or an...
3.8K
Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation02:13

Reduction of Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

13.9K
Alkenes undergo reduction by the addition of molecular hydrogen to give alkanes. Because the process generally occurs in the presence of a transition-metal catalyst, the reaction is called catalytic hydrogenation.
Metals like palladium, platinum, and nickel are commonly used in their solid forms — fine powder on an inert surface. As these catalysts remain insoluble in the reaction mixture, they are referred to as heterogeneous catalysts.
The hydrogenation process takes place on the...
13.9K
Catalysis02:50

Catalysis

30.1K
The presence of a catalyst affects the rate of a chemical reaction. A catalyst is a substance that can increase the reaction rate without being consumed during the process. A basic comprehension of a catalysts’ role during chemical reactions can be understood from the concept of reaction mechanisms and energy diagrams.
30.1K
Radical Substitution: Hydrogenolysis of Alkyl Halides with Tributyltin Hydride01:26

Radical Substitution: Hydrogenolysis of Alkyl Halides with Tributyltin Hydride

2.2K
Radical substitution reactions can be used to remove functional groups from molecules. The hydrogenolysis of alkyl halides is one such reaction, where the weak Sn–H bond in tributyltin hydride reacts with alkyl halides to form alkanes. Here, the reagent Bu3SnH yields tributyltin halide as a byproduct.
The bonds formed in this reaction are stronger than the bonds broken, making it energetically favorable. The reaction follows a radical chain mechanism similar to radical halogenation reactions,...
2.2K
Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation02:24

Reduction of Alkynes to cis-Alkenes: Catalytic Hydrogenation

8.9K
Introduction
Like alkenes, alkynes can be reduced to alkanes in the presence of transition metal catalysts such as Pt, Pd, or Ni. The reaction involves two sequential syn additions of hydrogen via a cis-alkene intermediate.
8.9K
Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation01:28

Reduction of Benzene to Cyclohexane: Catalytic Hydrogenation

5.7K
Unlike the easy catalytic hydrogenation of an alkene double bond, hydrogenation of a benzene double bond under similar reaction conditions does not take place easily. For example, in the reduction of stilbene, the benzene ring remains unaffected while the alkene bond gets reduced. Hydrogenation of an alkene double bond is exothermic and a favorable process. In contrast, to hydrogenate the first unsaturated bond of benzene, an energy input is needed; that is, the process is endothermic. This is...
5.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Formal Remote Stereodifferentiation of Minimally Distinct Groups in the Enantioselective Desymmetrization of <i>meso</i>-Epoxides.

The Journal of organic chemistry·2026
Same author

Bulky alkali metal cations enabled highly efficient iridium-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation for C-N axial chirality <i>via</i> dynamic kinetic resolution.

Chemical science·2025
Same author

Metal Nanoclusters Catalyzing Organic Transformations-Synergistic Effects.

Chemistry (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)·2025
Same author

Functionalization of Gold-Pincer Nanocluster for Asymmetric Catalysis.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2025
Same author

Atomically Precise Metal Nanoclusters as Single Electron Transferers for Hydroborylation.

Precision chemistry·2025
Same author

Colorimetric ALP detection with a ligand-exchanged Au<sub>8</sub> cluster.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
08:40

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production

Published on: December 6, 2021

4.2K

Bimetallic [Co/K] hydrogen evolution catalyst for electrochemical terminal C-H functionalization.

Sheng Zhang1, Lei Hong2, Jiayi Feng2

  • 1Institutes of Physical Science and Information Technology, Key Laboratory of Structure and Functional Regulation of Hybrid Materials of Ministry of Education, Anhui University, Hefei, Anhui, China. shengzhang@ahu.edu.cn.

Nature Communications
|September 26, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Novel bimetallic catalysts featuring alkali metals and cobalt-Salen complexes significantly boost hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity. This breakthrough also enables a new method for C-H functionalization, crucial for synthesizing anti-cancer drug precursors.

More Related Videos

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications
09:18

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Published on: June 21, 2017

11.9K
A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions
06:32

A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions

Published on: August 17, 2016

20.3K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 16, 2026

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production
08:40

Synthesis of Metal Nanoparticles Supported on Carbon Nanotube with Doped Co and N Atoms and its Catalytic Applications in Hydrogen Production

Published on: December 6, 2021

4.2K
Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications
09:18

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Published on: June 21, 2017

11.9K
A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions
06:32

A Simple, Low-cost, and Robust System to Measure the Volume of Hydrogen Evolved by Chemical Reactions with Aqueous Solutions

Published on: August 17, 2016

20.3K

Area of Science:

  • Catalysis
  • Energy Chemistry
  • Organic Synthesis

Background:

  • Developing efficient catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is crucial for renewable energy and synthetic chemistry.
  • Hydrogenase enzymes inspire the design of new catalytic systems.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To create novel bimetallic HER catalysts by integrating alkali metals with cobalt-Salen complexes.
  • To explore the application of these catalysts in challenging C-H functionalization reactions.
  • To understand the role of alkali metals in enhancing catalytic activity.

Main Methods:

  • Synthesis of bimetallic cobalt-Salen catalysts incorporating alkali metals (Na, K, Rb, Cs).
  • Electrochemical evaluation of HER activity.
  • Application in terminal C(sp³)-H functionalization of N-allylimines.
  • Mechanistic studies including structural analysis and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.

Main Results:

  • Alkali metal incorporation significantly enhanced HER activity, with the [Co/K] system showing the highest efficiency (kobs ~ 31.4 s⁻¹), 9 times greater than the mononuclear analogue.
  • The catalyst was successfully repurposed for terminal C(sp³)-H functionalization of N-allylimines, a previously inaccessible transformation.
  • Mechanistic studies indicated that the naked base site facilitates selective C-H activation via proton relay.
  • The developed electrochemical protocol demonstrated good functional group tolerance and enabled the synthesis of chiral pyrrolines, precursors to the anti-cancer drug Larotrectinib.

Conclusions:

  • Alkali metal-promoted cobalt-Salen complexes represent a new class of highly active HER catalysts.
  • These catalysts offer a novel and efficient route for C(sp³)-H functionalization, with implications for pharmaceutical synthesis.
  • The study elucidates the crucial role of alkali metals in tuning catalyst performance and reaction pathways.