Ruthenium-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Decarbonylation of Primary Alcohols : Ruthenium-Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Decarbonylation of Primary Alcohols

Dehydrogenative decarbonylation of a primary alcohol involves the release of both dihydrogen and carbon monoxide to afford the one-carbon shorter product. The transformation has now been achieved with a ruthenium-catalyzed protocol by using the complex Ru(COD)Cl2 and the hindered monodentate ligand P(o-tolyl)3 in refluxing p-cymene.

The reaction can be applied to both benzylic and long chain linear aliphatic alcohols. The intermediate aldehyde can be observed during the transformation, which is therefore believed to proceed through two separate catalytic cycles involving first dehydrogenation of the alcohol and then decarbonylation of the resulting aldehyde.