Utilization of base-metal compounds in catalysis is of interest due to their lower costs and toxicities compared to currently employed precious metals. Our laboratory has previously reported a family of bis(imino)pyridine iron dinitrogen compounds as effective pre-catalysts for olefin hydrogenation in non-polar media. In an attempt to improve catalyst activity and broaden substrate scope, more electron-donating ligands of similar coordination motif were prepared and evaluated. To that end, we have found that replacing the imine donors with N-heterocyclic carbenes, originally described by Danopoulos, is an effective strategy for improving alkene hydrogenation activity. Iron catalysts have been discovered for the hydrogenation of challenging substrates such as unactivated endocyclic and tetrasubstituted alkenes. The mechanism of these transformations and progress toward asymmetric variants will be presented.

High activity iron catalysts for alkene hydrogenation

244th National Meeting (2012)

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