title: Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation of nitriles: insights into the mechanism.
abstract: Hydrogenation of benzonitrile into benzylamine is catalyzed under very mild conditions by the ruthenium bis(dihydrogen) complex RuH(2)(H(2))(2)(PCyp(3))(2), incorporating two tricyclopentylphosphines. Two key intermediates have been isolated, resulting from the activation of benzonitrile at early stages of activation, i.e., either N-coordination through the nitrile function or first hydrogenation with benzylimine formation, followed by, thanks to C-H activation, coordination at ruthenium as an orthometalated ligand.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, CNRS, UPS, INPT, Université de Toulouse, 205 Route de Narbonne, F-31077 Toulouse, France.
authors.forename: Rebeca
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Reguillo
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grellier
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Vautravers
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vendier
authors.forename: Sylviane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sabo-Etienne