Fischer carbene complexes of iridium(I) for application in catalytic transfer hydrogenation

New examples of the very rare class of iridium(I) Fischer carbene complexes (FCCs) are reported from the facile transmetalation from group 6 FCCs. Postcomplexation modification of either the carbene ligand or the ancillary coligands results in a tunable IrI metal center, for unprecedented application as a (pre)catalyst in a benchmark transfer hydrogenation reaction. The introduction of an aminocarbene ligand with a pendant N-donor moiety capable of hemilabile coordination yielded the best catalytic results with turnover frequencies reaching 445 h–1 and requiring 0.1 mol % catalyst and 0.5 mol % base loading, respectively.