title: Ruthenium-catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of imines by propan-2-ol in benzene.
abstract: Transfer hydrogenation of a variety of different imines to the corresponding amines by propan-2-ol in benzene catalyzed by [Ru2(CO)4(mu-H)(C4Ph4COHOCC4Ph4)] (1) has been studied. The reaction is highly efficient with turnover frequencies of over 800 per hour, and the product amines were obtained in excellent yields. A remarkable concentration dependence of propan-2-ol was observed when the reaction was run in benzene as cosolvent. An optimum was obtained at 24 equivalents of propan-2-ol to imine, and further increase of the propan-2-ol led to a dramatic decrease in rate. Also the use of polar cosolvents with 24 equivalents of propan-2-ol gave a low rate. It was found that ketimines react faster than aldimines and that electron-donating substituents on the imine increase the rate of the catalytic transfer hydrogenation. Electron-withdrawing substituents decreased the rate. An isomerization was observed with imines having an alpha-hydrogen at the N-alkyl substituent, which is in accordance with a mechanism involving a ruthenium-amine intermediate. It was demonstrated that the ruthenium-amine complex from alpha-methylbenzylamine, corresponding to the postulated intermediate, can replace 1 as catalyst in the transfer hydrogenation of imines. A primary deuterium isotope effect of kCH/CD = 2.7 +/- 0.25 was observed when 2-deuterio-propan-2-ol was used in place of propan-2-ol in the transfer hydrogenation of N-phenyl-(1-phenylethylidene)amine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Organic Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: Joseph S M
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Samec
authors.forename: Jan-E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bäckvall
mesh_terms: D019840:2-Propanol / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D006865:Hydrogenation; D007097:Imines / Q000737:chemistry*; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D007097:Imines; D012428:Ruthenium; D019840:2-Propanol