Ligand-Free Ultrasmall Recyclable Iridium(0) Nanoparticles for Regioselective Aromatic Hydrogenation of Phosphine Oxide Scaffolds: An Easy Access to New Phosphine Ligands.

Herein, we developed the recyclable ligand-free iridium (Ir)-hydride based Ir nanoparticles (NPs) for the first regioselective partial hydrogenation of P -substituted naphthalenes. Both the isolated and in situ generated NPs are catalytically active. A control nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) study revealed the presence of metal-surface-bound hydrides, most likely formed from Ir species.