Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions

Transfer hydrogenation is a crucial technology for synthesizing fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, offering improved safety and convenience over traditional hydrogen methods, although it typically requires external bases. While isopropanol is commonly used as a hydrogen source, methanol is superior...

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Main Authors: Jing-Wei Zhu, Meng-Han Li, Feng Zhang, Ya-Li Wang, Jia-Xing Lu, Huan Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Molecules
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/910
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author Jing-Wei Zhu
Meng-Han Li
Feng Zhang
Ya-Li Wang
Jia-Xing Lu
Huan Wang
author_facet Jing-Wei Zhu
Meng-Han Li
Feng Zhang
Ya-Li Wang
Jia-Xing Lu
Huan Wang
author_sort Jing-Wei Zhu
collection DOAJ
description Transfer hydrogenation is a crucial technology for synthesizing fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, offering improved safety and convenience over traditional hydrogen methods, although it typically requires external bases. While isopropanol is commonly used as a hydrogen source, methanol is superior but faces challenges due to its high dehydrogenation energy barrier, limiting its use under mild conditions. This study focuses on investigating the differences in the electrogenerated base-driven transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in isopropanol and methanol solvents, using Mn(CO)₅Br and cyclohexanediamine derivatives as the catalyst. The research demonstrates that high enantiomeric excess (ee) values were obtained in isopropanol in the presence of chiral Mn-based catalysts, while only racemic products were observed in methanol. The results indicate a strong dependence of the catalytic pathway on the choice solvent: in isopropanol, the catalyst operates via a metal–ligand cooperative transfer hydrogenation, resulting in high ee values, whereas in methanol, transfer hydrogenation occurs through metal hydride transfer with no stereoselectivity.
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publisher MDPI AG
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series Molecules
spelling doaj-art-2daab1d432f9472bb8985a336d99f27f2025-08-20T02:03:32ZengMDPI AGMolecules1420-30492025-02-0130491010.3390/molecules30040910Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation ReactionsJing-Wei Zhu0Meng-Han Li1Feng Zhang2Ya-Li Wang3Jia-Xing Lu4Huan Wang5Key Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaKey Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaKey Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaKey Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaKey Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaKey Laboratory of Petroleum Molecular & Process Engineering, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Green Chemistry and Chemical Processes, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, ChinaTransfer hydrogenation is a crucial technology for synthesizing fine chemicals and pharmaceuticals, offering improved safety and convenience over traditional hydrogen methods, although it typically requires external bases. While isopropanol is commonly used as a hydrogen source, methanol is superior but faces challenges due to its high dehydrogenation energy barrier, limiting its use under mild conditions. This study focuses on investigating the differences in the electrogenerated base-driven transfer hydrogenation of aromatic ketones in isopropanol and methanol solvents, using Mn(CO)₅Br and cyclohexanediamine derivatives as the catalyst. The research demonstrates that high enantiomeric excess (ee) values were obtained in isopropanol in the presence of chiral Mn-based catalysts, while only racemic products were observed in methanol. The results indicate a strong dependence of the catalytic pathway on the choice solvent: in isopropanol, the catalyst operates via a metal–ligand cooperative transfer hydrogenation, resulting in high ee values, whereas in methanol, transfer hydrogenation occurs through metal hydride transfer with no stereoselectivity.https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/910transfer hydrogenationelectrogenerated basesolvent effectmanganese catalystsaromatic ketones
spellingShingle Jing-Wei Zhu
Meng-Han Li
Feng Zhang
Ya-Li Wang
Jia-Xing Lu
Huan Wang
Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
Molecules
transfer hydrogenation
electrogenerated base
solvent effect
manganese catalysts
aromatic ketones
title Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
title_full Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
title_fullStr Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
title_short Effect of Solvents on Electrogenerated Base-Driven Transfer Hydrogenation Reactions
title_sort effect of solvents on electrogenerated base driven transfer hydrogenation reactions
topic transfer hydrogenation
electrogenerated base
solvent effect
manganese catalysts
aromatic ketones
url https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/4/910
work_keys_str_mv AT jingweizhu effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions
AT menghanli effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions
AT fengzhang effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions
AT yaliwang effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions
AT jiaxinglu effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions
AT huanwang effectofsolventsonelectrogeneratedbasedriventransferhydrogenationreactions