Dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to esters on a silica polyamine composite by immobilized PNN and PONOP pincer complexes of ruthenium

Heterogenization of catalytically important homogeneous catalysts on solid supports has become an expanding area of research. PNN and PONOP ruthenium pincer complexes were immobilized on a silica poly(allylamine) composite, BP-1 by a two-step Mannich reaction. The complexes on BP-1 were characterized by solid state NMR, FT-IR, elemental analysis, and metal digestion studies. Model solution experiments were carried out to determine the site of electrophilic substitution on the pyridine ring of the pincer complexes and revealed substitution in both the meta- and para-position. The catalytic reactivity of immobilized (PNN)RuH(Cl)(CO) and (PONOP)RuH(Cl)(CO) on BP-1 was studied for the dehydrogenative coupling of alcohols to esters with the liberation of H2. Moderate to good ester yields were realized with both immobilized systems without using the base required for the homogeneous reaction and also in the presence of KOH. The homogeneous model reactions required a base for ester formation. The amine functionality on BP-1 served as the base to generate the active pincer catalyst on the BP-1 surface. Both immobilized catalysts were recycled for multiple alcohol reaction cycles. Four-step control experiments were carried out using an alcohol and both immobilized systems. The results revealed the heterogeneity of the alcohol catalysis by both BP-1-Ru-PNN and BP-1-Ru-PONOP systems. This study has opened a new catalytic methodology for reactions where base is required for catalyst activation, by using a solid support with basic functionality.