HETEROPOLY ANION-ASSISTED Rh CATALYSIS REVEALED IN THE HOMOGENEOUS SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION

Abstract
When coupled with lithium salt of heteropoly acid, the Wilkinson complex RhCl(PPh3)3 catalyst became very active and selective for the semihydrogenation of alkyne to alkene and, more interestingly, exhibited sharp substrate-selectivity in hydrogenation of substituted alkenes.