Direct Ruthenium-Catalyzed Hydrogenation of Carboxylic Acids to Alcohols.

Authors :: Cui X
Li Y
Topf C
Junge K
Beller M
Source :: Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English) [Angew Chem Int Ed Engl] 2015 Sep 01; Vol. 54 (36), pp. 10596-9. Date of Electronic Publication: 2015 Jul 17.
Publication Year :: 2015
Abstract: The "green" reduction of carboxylic acids to alcohols is a challenging task in organic chemistry. Herein, we describe a general protocol for generation of alcohols by catalytic hydrogenation of carboxylic acids. Key to success is the use of a combination of Ru(acac)3, triphos and Lewis acids. The novel method showed broad substrate tolerance and a variety of aliphatic carboxylic acids including biomass-derived compounds can be smoothly reduced.<br /> (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)