The invention relates to monocarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The invention relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.

The invention relates to monocarbonyl complexes of ruthenium and osmium with bi- and tridentate nitrogen and phosphine ligands. The invention relates to methods for preparing these complexes and the use of these complexes, isolated or prepared in situ, as catalysts for reduction reactions of ketones and aldehydes both via transfer hydrogenation or hydrogenation with hydrogen.

Method for hydrogenating an ester with molecular hydrogen to the corresponding alcohols in the presence of a ruthenium complex (I), wherein said complex comprises a tridentate ligand L of the general formula (II) ##STR00001##
n and m are each independently 0 or 1, and the solid-dashed double lines represent a single or double bond, with the proviso that in the case of n=1 both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1, and in the case of n=0 one solid-dashed double line represents a single bond and the other solid-dashed double line represents a double bond, wherein in the case of a double bond on the side facing the phenyl ring m=1, in the case of a double bond on the side facing the pyridyl ring m=0, or both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1.

Method for hydrogenating an ester with molecular hydrogen to the corresponding alcohols in the presence of a ruthenium complex (I), wherein said complex comprises a tridentate ligand L of the general formula (II) ##STR00001##
n and m are each independently 0 or 1, and the solid-dashed double lines represent a single or double bond, with the proviso that in the case of n=1 both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1, and in the case of n=0 one solid-dashed double line represents a single bond and the other solid-dashed double line represents a double bond, wherein in the case of a double bond on the side facing the phenyl ring m=1, in the case of a double bond on the side facing the pyridyl ring m=0, or both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1.

The present invention relates to a transition metal complex having a PNNP4 ligand, which is easy to manufacture and handle and is relatively inexpensively available, and a method for manufacturing the same, as well as a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for hydrogenation reduction of ketones, esters and amides to manufacture corresponding alcohols, aldehydes, hemiacetals and hemiaminals, a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for oxidation of alcohols, hemiacetals and hemiaminals to manufacture corresponding carbonyl compounds, and a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for dehydrogenation condensation between alcohols and amines to manufacture alkylamines.

The present invention relates to a transition metal complex having a PNNP4 ligand, which is easy to manufacture and handle and is relatively inexpensively available, and a method for manufacturing the same, as well as a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for hydrogenation reduction of ketones, esters and amides to manufacture corresponding alcohols, aldehydes, hemiacetals and hemiaminals, a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for oxidation of alcohols, hemiacetals and hemiaminals to manufacture corresponding carbonyl compounds, and a method using this transition metal complex as a catalyst for dehydrogenation condensation between alcohols and amines to manufacture alkylamines.

Method for hydrogenating an ester with molecular hydrogen to the corresponding alcohols in the presence of a ruthenium complex (I), wherein said complex comprises a tridentate ligand L of the general formula (II)

##STR00001##

n and m are each independently 0 or 1, and the solid-dashed double lines represent a single or double bond, with the proviso that in the case of n=1 both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1, and in the case of n=0 one solid-dashed double line represents a single bond and the other solid-dashed double line represents a double bond, wherein in the case of a double bond on the side facing the phenyl ring m=1, in the case of a double bond on the side facing the pyridyl ring m=0, or both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1.

Method for hydrogenating an ester with molecular hydrogen to the corresponding alcohols in the presence of a ruthenium complex (I), wherein said complex comprises a tridentate ligand L of the general formula (II)

##STR00001##

n and m are each independently 0 or 1, and the solid-dashed double lines represent a single or double bond, with the proviso that in the case of n=1 both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1, and in the case of n=0 one solid-dashed double line represents a single bond and the other solid-dashed double line represents a double bond, wherein in the case of a double bond on the side facing the phenyl ring m=1, in the case of a double bond on the side facing the pyridyl ring m=0, or both solid-dashed double lines represent a single bond and m is 1.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.

The subject invention provides synthetic compounds, and compound complexes having catalytic activities towards oxidation or oxygenation, and/or dehydrogenation of various substrates comprising C—H bonds. The catalysts of the subject invention comprise a dinuclear Cu(I)/Cu(II) center that can convert between a resting state and a reactive species. The subject invention also provides methods of using such catalysts for the oxidation of substrates comprising C—H bonds, e.g., hydrocarbons, to synthesize chemicals for use as pharmaceuticals and industrial feedstock.