Implementation of earth-abundant, highly reactive catalyst species to afford novel catalytic transformations is a cornerstone of green chemistry and engineering. While molecular catalyst species based upon precious metals enjoy high reactivity, even with low catalyst loadings, their low earth abundance contributes to their high cost and environmental impact. One focus of research in our laboratory is the use of molecular catalysts based on abundant metals such as iron, whose implementation in catalytic processes will not detrimentally affect process economics or economic and environmental sustainability. In particular, iron complexes that contain N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands have been shown to be highly active catalysts for hydrogenation and transfer hydrogenation reactions. Our own research has shown that NHC ligands with anionic pendent wingtips enhance catalytic activity of these molecular complexes of iron. Accordingly, we have installed these ligands on iron carbonyl moieties to afford novel catalyst species. Details on the synthesis and characterization of these species, as well as their ability to catalyze transfer hydrogenation reactions of polar double bonds, will be presented.

Synthesis, characterization, and catalytic screening reactions of N-heterocyclic carbene-containing iron carbonyl complexes

251st National Meeting (2016)

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.