5751-27-9

Upstream product

• 941-98-0 1'-naphthacetophenone 
• 57605-95-5 1-(1-naphthyl)ethanol 
• 100-51-6 benzyl alcohol 
• 6333-08-0 1-cinnamoylnaphthalene 
• 109556-76-5 (E)-1-(naphthalen-1-yl)-3-phenylprop-2-en-1-ol 

Downstream Products

• 5751-28-0 (E)-1-(3-phenylprop-1-en-1-yl)naphthalene 

Relevant academic research and scientific papers

Iridium phosphine abnormal N-heterocyclic carbene complexes in catalytic hydrogen transfer reactions

Several iridium complexes bearing chelating abnormal N-heterocyclic carbenes (NHCs) are shown to be active catalysts for transfer hydrogenation of ketones or enones, dehydrative C-C coupling between primary and secondary alcohols, and dehydrogenation of benzyl alcohol to benzyl benzoate. In the transfer hydrogenation of acetophenone, abnormal NHC complexes give higher activity than a normal analogue. Dehydrative C-C coupling reactions between primary and secondary alcohols result in β-alkylation of the secondary alcohols, using primary alcohols as the apparent alkylating reagents, and such reactions proceed with high yield and selectivity. These catalytic processes are known to involve metal-mediated temporary borrowing of hydrogen from alcohols and subsequent delivery of the hydrogen to CC and /or CO bonds.

Selective C-alkylation Between Alcohols Catalyzed by N-Heterocyclic Carbene Molybdenum

The first implementation of a molybdenum complex with an easily accessible bis-N-heterocyclic carbene ligand to catalyze β-alkylation of secondary alcohols via borrowing-hydrogen (BH) strategy using alcohols as alkylating agents is reported. Remarkably high activity, excellent selectivity, and broad substrate scope compatibility with advantages of catalyst usage low to 0.5 mol%, a catalytic amount of NaOH as the base, and H2O as the by-product are demonstrated in this green and step-economical protocol. Mechanistic studies indicate a plausible outer-sphere mechanism in which the alcohol dehydrogenation is the rate-determining step.

Room-Temperature Guerbet Reaction with Unprecedented Catalytic Efficiency and Enantioselectivity

We report herein an unprecedented highly efficient Guerbet-type reaction at room temperature (catalytic TON up to >6000). This β-alkylation of secondary methyl carbinols with primary alcohols has significant advantage of delivering higher-order secondary alcohols in an economical, redox-neutral fashion. In addition, the first enantioselective Guerbet reaction has also been achieved using a commercially available chiral ruthenium complex to deliver secondary alcohols with moderate yield and up to 92 % ee. In both reactions, the use of a traceless ketone promoter proved to be beneficial for the catalytic efficiency.

Asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of 1-naphthyl ketones by an ansa-Ru(II) complex of a DPEN-SO2N(Me)-(CH2)2(η 6-p-tol) combined ligand

The first second-generation designer Ru(II) catalyst 1b featuring an enantiopure N,C-(N-ethylene-N-methyl-sulfamoyl)-tethered (DPEN- κ2N,N′)/η6-toluene hybrid ligand is introduced. Using an S/C = 1000 in HCO2H-Et3N 5:2 transfer hydrogenation medium, secondary 1-naphthyl alcohols are obtained in up to >99.9% ee under mild conditions. Mechanistic factors are discussed.