Unsaturated hydrocarbons are convenient precursors to alcohols, amines and a wide variety of organics that find potential applications as fuel and commodity chemicals. In this context, dehydrogenation of alkanes via catalytic C?H bond activation is of immense value and has been extensively studied using pincer based iridium catalysts. One of the widely used acceptors for alkane transfer dehydrogenation is 3,3-Dimethyl-1-butene (TBE) as it is resistant to isomerization reactions. However on an industrial scale, the use of TBE is less economical. One would prefer to use acceptors that are inexpensive and recyclable. In the current study we have formulated methods to utilize ethylene or propene as acceptors in the pincer iridium catalyzed dehydrogenation of n-pentane in the Gas�Solid Phase and n-octane in the Liquid Phase. These studies have lead to the identification of catalysts that give unprecedented TONs for alkane dehydrogenation in both phases. The current reaction conditions also results in exceptionally slow isomerization of a�olefins.

Pincer iridium catalyzed gas�solid phase and liquid�phase alkane dehydrogenation using acceptors that inhibit a�olefin isomerization

248th National Meeting (2014)

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