Guerbet Reaction of Ethanol to <i>n</i>-Butanol Catalyzed by Iridium Complexes

Abstract

Abstract Ethanol was efficiently converted into n-butanol in the presence of a catalytic amount of [Ir(acac)(cod)], 1,7-octadiene, and EtONa. This method provides an efficient alternative approach to n-butanol which is conventionally manufactured by oxo process of propylene with H2 and CO followed by hydrogenation of butyraldehyde.