The present invention relates to a process for converting an amide into an amine comprising hydrogenation of the amide at a temperature not higher than 130° C. and a hydrogen pressure not higher than 50 bar in the presence of a supported heterogeneous catalyst preparable by a method comprising depositing vanadium on a supported noble metal catalyst by impregnation.

The present invention relates to a process for converting an amide into an amine comprising hydrogenation of the amide at a temperature not higher than 130° C. and a hydrogen pressure not higher than 50 bar in the presence of a supported heterogeneous catalyst preparable by a method comprising depositing vanadium on a supported noble metal catalyst by impregnation.

The present invention relates to a process for converting an amide into an amine comprising hydrogenation of the amide at a temperature not higher than 130° C. and a hydrogen pressure not higher than 50 bar in the presence of a supported heterogeneous catalyst preparable by a method comprising depositing vanadium on a supported noble metal catalyst by impregnation.

Provided is a catalyst which comprises a compound represented by formula (1) and which exhibits activity for at least one type of reaction selected from among hydrosilylation reaction or hydrogenation reaction with respect to an aliphatic unsaturated bond and hydrosilane reduction reaction with respect to a carbon-oxygen unsaturated bond or a carbon-nitrogen unsaturated bond. Formula (1): M.sub.n(L.sub.m) {M represents Fe, Co, or Ni having an oxidation number of 0, L represents an isocyanide ligand represented by formula (2), n denotes an integer of 1-8, and m denotes an integer of 2-12. Formula (2): (CN).sub.x—R.sup.1 (R.sup.1 represents a mono- to trivalent-organic group having 1-30 carbon atoms, optionally being substituted by a halogen atom, and optionally having interposed therein one or more atoms selected from among O, N, S, and Si; and x denotes an integer of 1-3.)}.

Provided is a mononuclear ruthenium complex that comprises a ruthenium-silicon bond that is represented by formula (1) and that exhibits excellent catalyst activity in each of a hydrosilylation reaction, a hydrogenation reaction, and reduction of a carbonyl compound. ##STR00001## In formula (1), R.sup.1-R.sup.6 either independently represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or the like that may be substituted with a hydrogen atom or X, or represent a crosslinking substituent in which at least one pair comprising one of R.sup.1-R.sup.3 and one of R.sup.4-R.sup.6 is combined. X represents a halogen atom, an organoxy group, or the like. L represents a two-electron ligand other than CO and phosphine. When a plurality of L are present, the plurality of L may be the same as or different from each other. When two L are present, the two L may be bonded to each other. n and m independently represent an integer of 1 to 3 with the stipulation that n+m equals 3 or 4.

Provided is a mononuclear ruthenium complex that comprises a ruthenium-silicon bond that is represented by formula (1) and that exhibits excellent catalyst activity in each of a hydrosilylation reaction, a hydrogenation reaction, and reduction of a carbonyl compound. ##STR00001## In formula (1), R.sup.1-R.sup.6 either independently represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or the like that may be substituted with a hydrogen atom or X, or represent a crosslinking substituent in which at least one pair comprising one of R.sup.1-R.sup.3 and one of R.sup.4-R.sup.6 is combined. X represents a halogen atom, an organoxy group, or the like. L represents a two-electron ligand other than CO and phosphine. When a plurality of L are present, the plurality of L may be the same as or different from each other. When two L are present, the two L may be bonded to each other. n and m independently represent an integer of 1 to 3 with the stipulation that n+m equals 3 or 4.

Provided is a mononuclear ruthenium complex that comprises a ruthenium-silicon bond that is represented by formula (1) and that exhibits excellent catalyst activity in each of a hydrosilylation reaction, a hydrogenation reaction, and reduction of a carbonyl compound. ##STR00001## In formula (1), R.sup.1-R.sup.6 either independently represent an alkyl group, an aryl group, an aralkyl group or the like that may be substituted with a hydrogen atom or X, or represent a crosslinking substituent in which at least one pair comprising one of R.sup.1-R.sup.3 and one of R.sup.4-R.sup.6 is combined. X represents a halogen atom, an organoxy group, or the like. L represents a two-electron ligand other than CO and phosphine. When a plurality of L are present, the plurality of L may be the same as or different from each other. When two L are present, the two L may be bonded to each other. n and m independently represent an integer of 1 to 3 with the stipulation that n+m equals 3 or 4.

The present invention relates to novel Ruthenium complexes of formulae A1-A4 and their use, inter alia, for (1) dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to esters; (2) hydrogenation of esters to alcohols (including hydrogenation of cyclic esters (lactones) or cyclic di-esters (di-lactones), or polyesters); (3) preparing amides from alcohols and amines—(including the preparation of polyamides (e.g., polypeptides) by reacting dialcohols and diamines and/or polymerization of amino alcohols and/or forming cyclic dipeptides from p-aminoalcohols; (4) hydrogenation of amides (including cyclic dipeptides, polypeptides and polyamides) to alcohols and amines; (5) hydrogenation of organic carbonates (including polycarbonates) to alcohols or hydrogenation of carbamates (including polycarbamates) or urea derivatives to alcohols and amines; (6) dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones; (7) amidation of esters (i.e., synthesis of amides from esters and amines); (8) acylation of alcohols using esters; (9) coupling of alcohols with water and a base to form carboxylic acids; and (10) preparation of amino acids or their salts by coupling of amino alcohols with water and a base. The present, invention further relates to the use of certain known Ruthenium complexes for the preparation of amino acids or their salts from amino alcohols.

The present invention relates to novel Ruthenium complexes of formulae A1-A4 and their use, inter alia, for (1) dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to esters; (2) hydrogenation of esters to alcohols (including hydrogenation of cyclic esters (lactones) or cyclic di-esters (di-lactones), or polyesters); (3) preparing amides from alcohols and amines—(including the preparation of polyamides (e.g., polypeptides) by reacting dialcohols and diamines and/or polymerization of amino alcohols and/or forming cyclic dipeptides from p-aminoalcohols; (4) hydrogenation of amides (including cyclic dipeptides, polypeptides and polyamides) to alcohols and amines; (5) hydrogenation of organic carbonates (including polycarbonates) to alcohols or hydrogenation of carbamates (including polycarbamates) or urea derivatives to alcohols and amines; (6) dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols to ketones; (7) amidation of esters (i.e., synthesis of amides from esters and amines); (8) acylation of alcohols using esters; (9) coupling of alcohols with water and a base to form carboxylic acids; and (10) preparation of amino acids or their salts by coupling of amino alcohols with water and a base. The present, invention further relates to the use of certain known Ruthenium complexes for the preparation of amino acids or their salts from amino alcohols.

The present invention provides a system and method of storing hydrogen (H.sub.2) and releasing it on demand, comprising and making use of diaminoalkanes and alcohols, or aminoalcohols as liquid-organic hydrogen carrier systems (LOHC). 2-amino-ethanol (AE) or its N-methyl derivative 2-(methylamino)ethanol undergo catalytic dehydrogenation to form a cyclic dipeptide (glycine anhydride—GA) or its N,N-dimethyl derivative (N,N-dimethyl GA) with release of hydrogen. Similarly, ethylenediamine (ED) and ethanol undergo catalytic dehydrogenation to form N,N′-diacetylethylenediamine (DAE) with release of hydrogen. Glycine anhydride (GA) or N,N-dimethyl-GA may be hydrogenated back to 2-aminoethanol (AE) or 2-(methylamino)ethanol, respectively, each of which functions as a hydrogen storage system. N,N′-diacetylethylenediamine (DAE) may be hydrogenated back to ED and ethanol, which functions as a hydrogen storage system. These reactions may be catalyzed by a variety of compounds or complexes, including Ruthenium complexes as described herein.