Iron-Catalyzed Metal-Ligand Cooperative Approach toward Sustainable Synthesis of Azines and -Acylhydrazones in Air.

Herein, we describe a metal-ligand cooperative approach for the sustainable synthesis of various aldazines, ketazines, and -acylhydrazones via dehydrogenative functionalization of alcohols with hydrazine hydrate using a simple, easy-to-prepare iron catalyst featuring a redox noninnocent tridentate arylazo backbone. Our catalyst is compatible with both primary and secondary alcohols to produce a wide variety of substituted aldazines, ketazines, and -acylhydrazones in good isolated yields in air. A series of control experiments are performed to elucidate the reaction mechanism.