Search

The 'green' reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols is a challenging task in organic chemistry. Herein, we describe a general protocol for generation of alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acids. Key to success is the use of a combination of Ru(acac)3, triphos and Lewis acids. The novel method showed broad substrate tolerance and a variety of aliphatic carboxylic acids including biomass-derived compounds can be smoothly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• P/N-H ligand facilitates Ru to exhibit efficient hydrogenation under CO. • The NH effect of ligands promote the hydrogenation process. • Co/Ru- L1 system smoothly achieves alcohol production under hydroformylation conditions. Efficient hydrogenation of aldehydes is highly desirable in hydroformylation process to obtain alcohol products. This work developed carbazole-derived phosphine ligands for efficient Ru-catalyzed hydrogenation of aldehydes in the presence of carbon monoxide. Up to 99 % yields of alcohols were obtained in the presence of high-pressure CO at 130 ℃. The results of different ligands revealed the crucial role of N H moiety on carbazole in promoting the catalytic hydrogenation. It was applied to the Co/Ru-catalyzed hydroformylation process, resulting in the production of long-chain alcohols with excellent yields. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]