Dehydrogenation of alkanes to arenes by iridium complexes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00147a003

Dehydrogenation of cyclohexanes to arenes using [IrH₂(Me₂CO)₂(PAr₃) ₂]SbF₆ without a solvent is described. The chlorinated solvents previously used for reactions of this type are shown to transfer chloride to the metal to give chloro-bridged binuclear species. P-C bond cleavage in the phosphines limits the efficiency of the alkane reactions, which seem to involve the interface between the crystal of iridium complex and the alkane. Their yield is found to be strongly dependent on the counterion used, SbF₆ being the best we have tried.