Hydride Transfer by Hydrido Transition‐Metal Complexes. Ionic Hydrogenation of Aldehydes and Ketones, and Structural Characterization of an Alcohol Complex

Abstract

The rate-determining step in the hydrogenation of aldehydes or ketones by hydrido complexes and acids appears to be the hydride transfer from the complex to the protonated carbonyl compound. The resulting alcohol is initially bound as ligand, as confirmed by an X-ray crystal structure analysis of the alcohol complex 1.