Neutral Flavins: Green and Robust Organocatalysts for Aerobic Hydrogenation of Olefins

Abstract

Various olefins can be hydrogenated quantitatively with neutral flavin 2 catalysts in the presence of 1-2 equiv of hydrazine under 1 atm of O(2). Vitamin B(2) derivative 2g acts as a highly efficient and robust catalyst for the present environmentally benign process producing water and nitrogen gas as the only waste products.