The present invention relates to novel manganese complexes and their use, inter alia, for homogeneous catalysis in (1) the preparation of imine by dehydrogenative coupling of an alcohol and amine; (2) CC coupling in Michael addition reaction using nitriles as Michael donors; (3) dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to give esters and hydrogen gas (4) hydrogenation of esters to form alcohols (including hydrogenation of cyclic esters (lactones) or cyclic di-esters (di-lactones), or polyesters); (5) hydrogenation of amides (including cyclic dipeptides, lactams, diamide, polypeptides and polyamides) to alcohols and amines (or diamine); (6) hydrogenation of organic carbonates (including polycarbonates) to alcohols or hydrogenation of carbamates (including polycarbamates) or urea derivatives to alcohols and amines; (7) dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones; (8) amidation of esters (i.e., synthesis of amides from esters and amines); (9) acylation of alcohols using esters; (10) coupling of alcohols with water and a base to form carboxylic acids; and (11) preparation of amino acids or their salts by coupling of amino alcohols with water and a hydrogenative coupling of alcohols and amines; (13) preparation of imides from diols.

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This invention relates to a process for preparing electron deficient olefins, such as 2-cyanoacrylates, using an acid catalyzed two-step process including a transesterification reaction followed by a Knoevenagel condensation reaction.

This invention relates to a process for preparing electron deficient olefins, such as 2-cyanoacrylates, using an acid catalyzed two-step process including a transesterification reaction followed by a Knoevenagel condensation reaction.

This invention relates to a process for producing electron deficient olefin precursors, such as 2-cyanoacetates, using an acid catalyzed transesterification reaction.

This invention relates to a process for producing electron deficient olefin precursors, such as 2-cyanoacetates, using an acid catalyzed transesterification reaction.

This invention relates to a process for producing electron deficient olefin precursors, such as 2-cyanoacetates, using an acid catalyzed esterification reaction.

This invention relates to a process for producing electron deficient olefin precursors, such as 2-cyanoacetates, using an acid catalyzed esterification reaction.

This invention relates to a process for preparing electron deficient olefins, such as 2-cyanoacrylates, using an acid catalyzed two-step process including an esterification reaction followed by a Knoevenagel condensation reaction.

This invention relates to a process for preparing electron deficient olefins, such as 2-cyanoacrylates, using an acid catalyzed two-step process including an esterification reaction followed by a Knoevenagel condensation reaction.

This invention relates to a process for producing cyanoacetates involving contacting a salt of an alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl or aryl formyl acetate with a hydroxyl amine acid under appropriate conditions and for a time sufficient to yield a cyanoacetate.