Stainless Steel-Mediated Hydrogen Generation from Alkanes and Diethyl Ether and Its Application for Arene Reduction

Abstract

Hydrogen gas can be generated from simple alkanes (e.g., n-pentane, n-hexane, etc.) and diethyl ether (Et₂O) by mechanochemical energy using a planetary ball mill (SUS304, Fritsch Pulverisette 7), and the use of stainless steel balls and vessel is an important factor to generate the hydrogen. The reduction of organic compounds was also accomplished using the in-situ-generated hydrogen. While the use of pentane as the hydrogen source facilitated the reduction of the olefin moieties, the arene reduction could proceed using Et₂O. Within the components (Fe, Cr, Ni, etc.) of the stainless steel, Cr was the metal factor for the hydrogen generation from the alkanes and Et₂O, and Ni metal played the role of the hydrogenation catalyst.