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Updated: Jan 9, 2026
Preparation of SNS CobaltII Pincer Model Complexes of Liver Alcohol Dehydrogenase
Published on: March 19, 2020
A Nonsymmetrical PN3P-Iron(II) Complex as a Catalyst for the Selective Conversion of Glycerol to Lactate
Giao N Ngô1, Indranil Dutta1, Pirudhan Karak1
1Center For Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies (CREST), KAUST Catalysis Platform, Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Glycerol, the byproduct of a multi-ton biofuel industry, is a cheap and useful feedstock for value-added chemical transformations. The conversion of glycerol to lactic acid has been realized using pincer complexes, mainly based on 4d and 5d transition metals. Herein, a well-defined, nonsymmetrical PN3P-Fe complex (Fe-1) was synthesized and characterized. Single-crystal x-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) revealed a distorted square pyramidal geometry, while spectroscopic analysis and the Evans method confirmed a high-spin Fe(II) center. The complex Fe-1 performed glycerol to lactate transformation with an excellent yield and selectivity of up to 87%. Furthermore, a series of control experiments demonstrated the molecular nature of the transformation and elucidated the role of the catalyst in the organic cascade.
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