S. N. R. Donthireddy

Bio: S. N. R. Donthireddy is an academic researcher from Indian Institute of Technology Madras. The author has contributed to research in topics: Catalysis & Carbene. The author has an hindex of 5, co-authored 7 publications receiving 87 citations.

Effect of Ancillary Ligand in Cyclometalated Ru(II)-NHC-Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Unsaturated Compounds.

Abstract: In an effort to develop efficient Ru(II)–NHC-based catalyst considering their stereoelectronic effect for hydride-transfer reaction, we found that the ancillary NHC ligand can play a significant role in its catalytic performance. This effect is demonstrated by comparing the activity of two different types of orthometalated precatalysts of general formula [(p-cymene)(NHC)RuII(X)] (NHC = an imidazolylidene-based ImNHC, compound 2a–c, or a mesoionic triazolylidene-based tzNHC, compound 4) in transfer hydrogenation of carbonyl substrates. The electron-rich precatalyst, 2c, containing p-OMe-substituted NHC ligand performed significantly better than both unsubstituted complex 2a and p-CF3 substituted electron-poor complex 2b in ketone reduction. Whereas bulky mesoionic triazolylidene ligand containing complex 4 was found to be superior catalyst for aldehyde reduction and the precatalyst 2a is more suitable for the selective transfer hydrogenation of a wide range of aromatic aldimines to amines. To the best of o...

Catalyst-Free and Solvent-Free Facile Hydroboration of Imines.

Abstract: A facile process for the catalyst-free and solvent-free hydroboration of aromatic as well as heteroaromatic imines is reported. This atom-economic methodology is scalable, compatible with sterically and electronically diverse imines, displaying excellent tolerance towards various functional groups, and works efficiently at ambient temperature in most of the cases, affording secondary amines in good to excellent yield after hydrolysis.

[(PPh3)2NiCl2]-Catalyzed C–N Bond Formation Reaction via Borrowing Hydrogen Strategy: Access to Diverse Secondary Amines and Quinolines

Abstract: Commercially available [(PPh3)2NiCl2] was found to be an efficient catalyst for the mono-N-alkylation of (hetero)aromatic amines, employing alcohols to deliver diverse secondary amines, including the drug intermediates chloropyramine (5b) and mepyramine (5c), in excellent yields (up to 97%) via the borrowing hydrogen strategy. This method shows a superior activity (TON up to 10000) with a broad substrate scope at a low catalyst loading of 1 mol % and a short reaction time. Further, this strategy is also successful in accessing various quinoline derivatives following the acceptorless dehydrogenation pathway.

Cationic iridium complexes bearing imidazol-2-ylidene ligands as transfer hydrogenation catalysts

Abstract: The synthesis and characterization by X-ray crystallography of the complexes [Ir(cod)(py)(L)]PF6 (L = IMes, 1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (2); L = IPr, 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (3); L = ICy, 1,3-bis(cyclohexyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (4)) are reported. Complexes 2−4 have been employed as catalysts for transfer hydrogenation reactions from 2-propanol to a number of unsaturated substrates and their activity compared with that of the related cationic iridium(I) species [Ir(cod)(py)(SIMes)]PF6 (1), [Ir(cod)(py)(PCy3)]PF6 (5), and complexes formed in situ from [Ir(cod)(py)2]PF6 and diazabutadienes (RNCHCHNR, DAB-R; R = cyclohexyl, DAB-Cy; R = 2,4,6-trimethylphenyl, DAB-Mes; R = adamantyl, DAB-Ad; R = 2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl, DAB-trimethoxyphenyl). All complexes tested were found to be active catalysts for transfer hydrogenation of ketones, with complex 4 displaying the highest activity. Complex 4 also exhibits moderate activity toward simple olefins and an aromatic nitro co...

The Hidden Role of Boranes and Borohydrides in Hydroboration Catalysis

Abstract: The continued development of hydroboration catalysts typifies the importance of this transformation as a testbed for catalytic activity and as a fundamental reaction for organic synthesis. Catalyti...

Ruthenium(II) Complexes of Heteroditopic N-Heterocyclic Carbene Ligands: Efficient Catalysts for C-N Bond Formation via a Hydrogen-Borrowing Strategy under Solvent-Free Conditions.

Abstract: Both imidazol-2-ylidene (ImNHC) and 1,2,3-triazol-5-ylidene (tzNHC) have evolved to be elite groups of N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands for homogeneous catalysis. To develop efficient ruthenium(II)-based catalysts incorporating these ligands for C-N bond-forming reactions via hydrogen-borrowing methodology, we utilized chelating ligands integrated with ImNHC and mesoionic tzNHC donors connected via a CH2 spacer with a diverse triazole backbone. The synthesized ruthenium(II) complexes 3 are found to be highly efficient for C-N bond formation across a wide range of primary amine and alcohol substrates under solvent-free conditions, and among all of the complexes studied here, catalyst 3a with a mesityl substituent displayed maximum activity. To our delight, catalyst 3a is also effective for the selective mono-N-methylation of various anilines utilizing methanol as a coupling partner, known to be relatively more difficult than other alcohols. Furthermore, complex 3a also delivers various substituted quinolines successfully via the reaction of 2-aminobenzyl alcohol with several secondary alcohols. Importantly, catalyst 3a exhibited the highest activity among the reported ruthenium(II) complexes for both the N-benzylation of aniline [achieving a turnover number (TON) of 50000] and the realization of quinoline 8a by reacting 2-aminobenzyl alcohol with 2-phenylethanol (attaining a TON of 30000).