Selective hydrogenation of phenols to cyclohexanols catalyzed by robust solid NHC–Rh coordination assemblies in water

Abstract

Developing viable transition metal catalysts for phenol hydrogenation is challenging due to their inherent instability, which impedes the identification of true catalytically active species and their reusability. To overcome this issue, we employed a self-supporting strategy to prevent catalyst clusterization. This approach resulted in the formation of NHC–Rh coordination assemblies, which serve as robust and selective solid molecular catalysts for phenol hydrogenation to cyclohexanols in water under mild conditions. Remarkably, these solid catalysts exhibit exceptional stability, allowing for up to 9 consecutive reuse cycles without compromising their activity or selectivity. This advancement presents a promising and sustainable solution for the future production of valuable cyclohexanols in the industry.