Arene and cyclohexadienyl complexes as intermediates in the selective catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclohexenes to arenes

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/om00122a015

A catalytic aromatization of cyclohexene to benzene is described by using [IrH₂(Me₂CO)₂L₂]SbF₆ (L = PPh₃) as catalyst in refluxing 1,2-C₂H₄Cl₂. tert-Butylethylene (tbe) acts as hydrogen acceptor; in the absence of tbe, 2 equiv of cyclohexane are formed per mole of benzene. A mechanism is suggested based on the isolation of the proposed intermediates [Ir(η⁵-C₆H₇)HL₂]SbF₆ and [Ir(η⁶-C₆H₆)L₂]SbF₆. Some reactions of these complexes are discussed.