Molecular hydrogen complexes in catalysis: highly efficient hydrogen production from alcoholic substrates catalysed by ruthenium complexes

Abstract

The complex [RuH₂(N₂)(PPh₃)₃] catalyses the thermal production of hydrogen from a range of different alcoholic substrates with rates corresponding to up to >1000 catalyst turnover h^–1; the mechanism of the reaction is discussed and possible reasons for the high efficiency of this catalyst including the fact that loss of hydrogen occurs from a molecular hydrogen complex, are explored.