Transition metal pincer catalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation: a mechanistic perspective.

The storage and transportation of hydrogen gas, a non-polluting alternative to carbon-based fuels, have always been challenging due to its extreme flammability. In this regard, formic acid (FA) is a promising liquid organic hydrogen carrier (LOHC), and over the past decades, significant progress has been made in dehydrogenating FA through transition metal catalysis. In this review, our goal is to provide a detailed insight into the existing processes to expose various mechanistic challenges associated with FA dehydrogenation (FAD).

Substituent effects on Ni-S bond dissociation energies and kinetic stability of nickel arylthiolate complexes supported by a bis(phosphinite)-based pincer ligand.

Pincer complexes of the type [2,6-(R(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]NiSC(6)H(4)Z (R = Ph and i-Pr; Z = p-OCH(3), p-CH(3), H, p-Cl, and p-CF(3)) have been synthesized from [2,6-(R(2)PO)(2)C(6)H(3)]NiCl and sodium arylthiolate. X-ray structure determinations of these thiolate complexes have shown a somewhat constant Ni-S bond length (approx. 2.

Tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB): a mild and efficient catalyst for O-isopropylidenation of carbohydrates.

A wide range of O-isopropylidene derivatives can be prepared from the sugars and their derivatives on reaction with acetone at room temperature by employing 2 mol% of tetrabutylammonium tribromide (TBATB) as a catalyst. Good yields, low catalyst loading, mild reaction conditions, and a non-aqueous workup procedure are some major advantages of this protocol.