Iridium pincer complexes are attractive for biomass deoxygenation due to their robustness and the ease of tunability of the pincer ligand framework. We have examined (POCOP)Ir(CO) complexes as catalysts for the selective deoxygenation of glycerol to give 1,3-propanediol and 1-propanol. It is proposed that the deoxygenation of glycerol proceeds via initial proton-catalyzed dehydration followed by a metal-catalyzed hydrogenation. The preparation and characterization of iridium hydride and dihydrogen complexes employing the (POCOP)Ir(CO) framework will be presented. The iridium dihydrogen complexes are found to be stable only under high pressures of hydrogen (40 – 80 atm) and low temperatures. Furthermore, evidence of iridium catalyzed H/D exchange between hydrogen and deuterated alcohols will be discussed. This exchange pathway serves as a model for supporting the ability of an iridium-dihydrogen complex to protonate a polyol.

Iridium hydride and dihydrogen complexes relevant to biomass deoxygenation

254th National Meeting (2017)

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