The NNP osmium complex OsHCl(CO)[PyCH2NHC2H4NHPtBu2][1,2] is a state-of-the-art catalyst for a manifold of green transformations including selective ester hydrogenation and dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols and amines to give esters and amides, under mild reaction conditions. The mechanism of these reactions remains unclear and will be discussed together with the recent DFT work and the results of new catalyst development from our laboratory.
References:
[1] D. Goussev, D. Spasyuk, PCT Patent Application WO 2014/139030.
[2] Spasyuk, D.; Vicent, C.; Gusev D. G. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2015, 137, 3743-3746.
Dmitri Goussev is Professor at the Department of Chemistry at Wilfrid Laurier University. His main research interests are synthesis of organometallic complexes of transition metals for applications in catalytic hydrogenation of compounds with polar C=X bonds, dehydrogenative coupling and dehydrogenation reactions of alcohols. These studies are supported by DFT calculations and cover a wide range of important catalytic organic transformations, particularly reduction of esters, synthesis of esters, amides, heterocyclic compounds, and hydrogen production by acceptorless dehydrogenation of alcohols. He obtained his Ph.D. at the Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology, and completed post-doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, Indiana University and the University of Zurich. He is the winner of Ontario Premier’s Research Excellence Award and WLU Research Professor Award, and has also served as the Chair of his department.