|
|||||
|
|
Iridium-Catalyzed Selective Cross-Coupling of Ethylene Glycol and Methanol to Lactic Acid |
|
| Authors: | Jiajie Wu Lingyun Shen Dr. Zhe-Ning Chen Dr. Qingshu Zheng Prof. Dr. Xin Xu Prof. Dr. Tao Tu |
| Affiliation: | 1. Shanghai Key Laboratory of Molecular Catalysis and Innovative Materials, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai, 200438 P. R. China;2. Collaborative Innovation Center of Chemistry for Energy Materials MOE Laboratory for Computational Physical Science, Fudan University, 2005 Songhu Road, Shanghai, 200438 P. R. China |
| Abstract: | An atom-economic approach that has an unprecedented high selectivity for the synthesis of lactic acid (LA) based on a catalytic dehydrogenative cross-coupling by using inexpensive bulk ethylene glycol and methanol is described. This method relies on the synthesis and utilization of a novel iridium catalyst bearing three N-heterocyclic carbenes derived from 1,3-dimethylbenzimidazolium salts, and exhibits outstanding activity in the production of LA [turnover frequency (TOF) up to 3660 h−1] owing to an elegant metal–ligand cooperation. |
| Keywords: | cross-coupling ethylene glycol lactic acid iridium N-heterocyclic carbenes |