Cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation of esters to alcohols: unexpected reactivity trend indicates ester enolate intermediacy.
The atom-efficient and environmentally benign catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acid esters to alcohols has been accomplished in recent years mainly with precious-metal-based catalysts, with few exceptions. Presented here is the first cobalt-catalyzed hydrogenation of esters to the corresponding alcohols. Unexpectedly, the evidence indicates the unprecedented involvement of ester enolate intermediates.
Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel).|Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, Guwahati 781039, Assam (India).
Dipankar
D
Srimani
Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel).
Arup
A
Mukherjee
Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel).
Alexander F G
AF
Goldberg
Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel).
Gregory
G
Leitus
Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel).
Yael
Y
Diskin-Posner
Chemical Research Support, Weizmann Institute of Science, 76100 Rehovot (Israel).
Linda J W
LJ
Shimon
Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel).
Yehoshoa
Y
Ben David
Department of Organic Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100 (Israel). david.milstein@weizmann.ac.il.
David
D
Milstein
D000438:Alcohols / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D003035:Cobalt / Q000737:chemistry*; D004952:Esters / Q000737:chemistry*; D006865:Hydrogenation; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009942:Organometallic Compounds / Q000737:chemistry*
D000438:Alcohols; D004952:Esters; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D003035:Cobalt
alcohols; cobalt; esters; homogeneous catalysis; hydrogenation