title: Nonmetal catalyzed hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds.
abstract: Solutions of the Lewis acid B(C6F5)3 in 1,4-dioxane are found to effectively catalyze the hydrogenation of a variety of ketones and aldehydes. These reactions, the first to allow entirely metal-free catalytic hydrogenation of carbonyl groups under relatively mild reaction conditions, are found to proceed via a "frustrated Lewis pair" mechanism in which the solvent, a weak Brønsted base yet moderately strong donor, plays a pivotal role.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London , London SW7 2AZ, U.K.
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.forename: Matthew J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fuchter
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Ashley
mesh_terms: D000447:Aldehydes / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000737:chemistry; D006865:Hydrogenation; D007659:Ketones / Q000737:chemistry*; D058116:Lewis Acids / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D000447:Aldehydes; D004146:Dioxanes; D007659:Ketones; D058116:Lewis Acids; C025223:1,4-dioxane