Ambient-pressure selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones into unsaturated alcohols in the water phase

Abstract

A universal and green catalytic system for the hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes and ketones into the corresponding alcohols with the CC bonds retained under atmospheric hydrogen pressure in the water phase was realized by N-functionalized amino ligand-stabilized ruthenium complexes (o-PPh₂C₆H₄NHMe)[(CH₂NHR)₂]RuCl₂ (R = H, Me, Et) and (o-PPh₂C₆H₄NMe₂)[(CH₂NHEt)₂]RuCl₂ with wide substrate compatibility and excellent functionality tolerance. The structural synergism between o-PPh₂C₆H₄NHMe and (CH₂NHEt)₂ achieves the enhanced performance, with a positive correlation with the electron density of the amino ligand.