HOMOGENEOUS HYDROGENATION OF ALDEHYDES TO ALCOHOLS WITH RUTHENIUM COMPLEX CATALYSTS

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)88977-9

A number of ruthenium complexes catalyse the reduction of aldehydes to their corresponding alcohols in toluene solution under mild reaction conditions.The most convenient catalyst precursor is hydridochlorocarbonyltris(triphenylphosphine)ruthenium(II).Turnover numbers up to 32 000 have been achieved with this catalyst.The rate of hydrogenation is first order with respect to the substrate concentration, the catalyst concentration and the hydrogen pressure, and is also affected by acid and basic additives.