Hydrogenation reactions catalyzed by HN(CHCHPR)-ligated copper complexes

HN(CH 2 CH 2 PR 2 ) 2 -ligated copper borohydride complexes, ( R PN H P)Cu(BH 4 ) (R = i Pr, Cy, t Bu), which can be prepared from ( R PN H P)CuBr and NaBH 4 , are capable of catalyzing the hydrogenation of aldehydes in an alcoholic solvent. More active hydrogenation catalysts are ( R PN H P)CuBr mixed with KO t Bu, allowing various aldehydes and ketones to be efficiently reduced to alcohols except those bearing a nitro, N -unprotected pyrrole, pyridine, or an ester group, or those prone to aldol condensation ( e.g. , 1-heptanal). Modifying the catalyst structure by replacing the NH group in ( i Pr PN H P)CuBr with an NMe group results in an inferior catalyst but preserves some catalytic activity. The hexanuclear copper hydride cluster, ( i Pr PN H P) 3 Cu 6 H 6 , is also competent in catalyzing the hydrogenation of aldehydes such as benzaldehyde and N -methyl-2-pyrrolecarboxaldehyde, albeit accompanied by decomposition pathways. The catalytic performance can be enhanced through the addition of a strong base or i Pr PN H P. The three catalytic systems likely share the same catalytically active species, which is proposed to be a mononuclear copper hydride ( R PN H P)CuH with the NH group bound to copper. Hydrogenation of aldehydes and ketones can be catalyzed by a PNP-ligated copper hydride that is accessible from the copper borohydride or bromide complex or the copper hydride cluster.