Hydrogenation of the arene of ethers, amides, and esters occurs at room temperature and low hydrogen pressure, starting from [(CAAC)Rh(COD)Cl] (CAAC = cyclic alkyl amino carbene). Kinetic, mechanistic, and Rh K-edge XAFS studies showed formation of Rh nanoparticles under the reaction conditions. The site-selective arene hydrogenation catalyzed by this system was found to be under steric control, as shown by competition experiments with derivatives of ethers, amides, and esters bearing different aromatic rings of varying electronic and steric influence. Selective poisoning experiments with sub-stoichiometric benzothiophene provide information about poisoning of heterogeneous Rh catalysts vs. molecular Rh complexes.

Catalytic arene hydrogenation: from a molecular Rh (CAAC) complex to Rh nanoparticles

2019 Spring National Meeting

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