Teaming up main group metals with metallic iron to boost hydrogenation catalysis.

ABSTRACT: Hydrogenation of unsaturated bonds is a key step in both the fine and petrochemical industries. Homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts are historically based on noble group 9 and 10 metals. Increasing awareness of sustainability drives the replacement of costly, and often harmful, precious metals by abundant 3d-metals or even main group metals. Although not as efficient as noble transition metals, metallic barium was recently found to be a versatile hydrogenation catalyst. Here we show that addition of finely divided Fe⁰, which itself is a poor hydrogenation catalyst, boosts activities of Ba⁰ by several orders of magnitude, enabling rapid hydrogenation of alkynes, imines, challenging multi-substituted alkenes and non-activated arenes. Metallic Fe⁰ also boo

SUBMITTER: Farber C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9184469 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature