Partial Deoxygenation of Glycerol Catalyzed by Iridium Pincer Complexes

Abstract

Iridium pincer complexes (POCOP)Ir(CO) (POCOP = κ 3 -C 6 H 3 -1,3-[OP( t Bu) 2 ] 2 ) and substituted POCOP derivatives catalyze deoxygenation of glycerol to n -propanol and 1,3-propanediol in good yield under moderate conditions (acidic aqueous dioxane, 200 °C, 80 bar H 2 ). Catalyst solubility in the polar reaction mixture is improved by incorporation of a polar moiety in the para position of the POCOP phenyl ring, with the best results obtained with a dimethylamino substituent.