Hydrodebromination of allylic and benzylic bromides with water catalyzed by a rhodium porphyrin complex†
Abstract
Hydrodebromination of allylic and benzylic bromides was successfully achieved by a rhodium porphyrin complex catalyst using water as the hydrogen source without a sacrificial reductant. Mechanistic investigations suggest that bromine atom abstraction via a rhodium porphyrin metalloradical operates to give the rhodium porphyrin alkyl species and the subsequent hydrolysis of the rhodium porphyrin alkyl species to a hydrocarbon product is a key step to harness the hydrogen from water.