title: Iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation of N-heterocyclic compounds under mild conditions by an outer-sphere pathway.
abstract: A new homogeneous iridium catalyst gives hydrogenation of quinolines under unprecedentedly mild conditions-as low as 1 atm of H(2) and 25 °C. We report air- and moisture-stable iridium(I) NHC catalyst precursors that are active for reduction of a wide variety of quinolines having functionalities at the 2-, 6-, and 8- positions. A combined experimental and theoretical study has elucidated the mechanism of this reaction. DFT studies on a model Ir complex show that a conventional inner-sphere mechanism is disfavored relative to an unusual stepwise outer-sphere mechanism involving sequential proton and hydride transfer. All intermediates in this proposed mechanism have been isolated or spectroscopically characterized, including two new iridium(III) hydrides and a notable cationic iridium(III) dihydrogen dihydride complex. DFT calculations on full systems establish the coordination geometry of these iridium hydrides, while stoichiometric and catalytic experiments with the isolated complexes provide evidence for the mechanistic proposal. The proposed mechanism explains why the catalytic reaction is slower for unhindered substrates and why small changes in the ligand set drastically alter catalyst activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Yale University, 225 Prospect Street, P.O. Box 208107, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, USA.
authors.forename: Graham E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Dobereiner
authors.forename: Ainara
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nova
authors.forename: Nathan D
authors.initials: ND
authors.lastname: Schley
authors.forename: Nilay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hazari
authors.forename: Scott J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Odile
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Eisenstein
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Crabtree