Transfer Hydrogenation of N-Benzylideneaniline Catalyzed by Ruthenium Complexes with Pincer-Type Phosphorus Nitrogen Ligands Using Propan-2-Ol as the Hydrogen Source

Ruthenium complexes containing phosphorus-nitrogen, pincer-type (NPN) ligands show high activities and selectivities in the transfer hydrogenation of N-benzylideneaniline using propan-2-ol as the hydrogen source. Such is the case of complexes RuCl2PPh3(PPh(NHPy)2) (1) and RuCl2PPh3(PPh(NHPyMe)2) (2) which also show TOFs 5989 h− 1 and 5928 h− 1, respectively. These remarkable results were obtained after only 10 min of reaction using a 1000/1 substrate/catalyst ratio. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.