The development of catalysts for the efficient and cost-effective catalytic conversion of alkanes to olefins would be highly desirable. Prior work shows alkane dehydrogenation may be achieved with iridium and rhodium pincer complexes. While significant success in this type of alkane functionalization has been achieved with (RPCP)IrI systems (RPCP = κ3-C6H3-2,6-(CH2PR2)2), these C–H activation systems are inhibited by nitrogen and water, and can be self-inhibited by alkenes. In contrast, (dmPhebox)IrIII systems (Phebox = 3,5-dimethylphenyl-2,6-bis(oxazolinyl)) have been shown to be tolerant to these inhibitors and are able to activate the C–H bonds of alkanes. Our experimental and computational results show usage of Brønsted acids to generate new (dmPhebox)Ir(OAc)(X) complexes leads to an increase in the rate of C-H activation over the previously reported (dmPhebox)Ir(OAc)2(OH2) system. The product of this activation and dehydrogenation reaction is alkene and (dmPhebox)Ir(OAc)(H). Optimized conditions for this alkane dehydrogenation system and mechanistic studies will be presented.

Alkane dehydrogenation with (dmPhebox)Ir(OAc)(X) complexes

251st National Meeting (2016)

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