The Nature of the True Catalyst in Transfer Hydrogenation with Alcohol Donors Using (arene) 2 Ru 2 Cl 4 (II)/TsDPEN Precursor

Abstract

The widespread precatalyst (prepared in-situ or ex-situ) (arene) RuTsDPEN advocated for highly effectual asymmetric transfer hydrogenation (ATH) reactions with 2-propanol as hydrogen donor at ambient conditions, is proven to be unstable under the strong reducing conditions prevailing in the reaction mixtures (blend of alcohol and a base such as KOH). We assert that the true catalysts are the ruthenium metal nanoclusters formed swiftly under the reducing conditions of these systems. The TsDPEN ligand plays a critical role in the generation and formatting of the active catalyst including wreaking chiral properties to the so formed catalytic nanoparticles. Kinetic measurements, NMR, UV-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD) and TEM analyses corroborate this argument.