Nickel nanoparticles, readily prepared by reduction of nickel(II) chloride with lithium and a catalytic amount of DTBB, have been used in the transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl compounds and have been fully characterised by different means. The reaction rate of the transfer hydrogenation was found to be dependent on the acetophenone and isopropanol concentration but independent on the amount of lithium chloride. The deactivation of the catalyst after reuse has been mainly attributed to surface oxidation but not to coke formation. All the experiments performed are in agreement with the process being of heterogeneous nature. The nickel nanoparticles unveiled a superior behaviour in comparison with commercially available nickel catalysts.

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Nickel nanoparticles in hydrogen-transfer reductions: Characterisation and nature of the catalyst

When Applying the Mercury Poisoning Test to Palladacycle-Catalyzed Reactions, One Should Not Consider the Common Misconception of Mercury(0) Selectivity

The hydroisomerization of n-butenes: 2. The reaction of 1-butene over mercury-poisoned rhodium-silica catalysts

A Molecular/Heterogeneous Nickel Catalyst for Suzuki–Miyaura Coupling

The efficient hydrogenation reaction of furfural (FFR) to furfuryl alcohol (FFA) was achieved with new pyridyl-imine iridium(III) and ruthenium(II) complexes as catalyst precursors. The hydrogenation of furfural yielded furfuryl alcohol selectively with a turnover number (TON) of 2961 and turnover frequency (TOF) of 1481 h−1. The reactions were performed with formic acid as the source of hydrogen using a catalyst loading as low as 0.025 mol% and Et3N as base. The catalyst remained active for up to seven consecutive catalyst reuse cycles. Iridium outperformed the ruthenium analogues in terms of selectivity. Iridium hydride species were detected, during in situ1H NMR spectroscopy studies, and are believed to be the active catalytic species. A mechanism of the hydrogenation reaction has hence been proposed.

J.S. Hislop

Papers

Mercury adsorption, catalyst poisoning, and reactivation phenomena on metal catalysts