Facile conversion of alcohols into esters and dihydrogen catalyzed by new ruthenium complexes.
An efficient, environmentally benign method for the preparation of esters from alcohols under mild, neutral conditions without the need for carboxylic acid derivatives and condensing agents was developed. Catalyst design, based on new Ru(II) hydrido carbonyl complexes incorporating electron-rich PNP and PNN ligands has resulted in the novel complex (I) which is an outstanding catalyst for the dehydrogenation of primary alcohols to esters and H(2) under neutral conditions.
Zhang
Jing
J
Department of Organic Chemistry and Unit of Chemical Research Support, The Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 76100, Israel.
Leitus
Gregory
G
Ben-David
Yehoshoa
Y
Milstein
David
D