Homogenous Iridium Catalysts for Biomass Conversion

Abstract

The use of biomass as a sustainable feedstock for the production of chemicals has become more and more important in recent years. Homogeneous iridium catalysis offers great opportunities for the conversion of bio-derived platform molecules and even biomass components such as cellulose or lignin, due to the air, water, and acid stability of many iridium complexes. In this chapter, we review the application of iridium catalysts to the transformations of carbohydrate-derived compounds, fatty acids, and lignin.