Shedding light on the mechanism of reduction reactions

Oeiras, 17.10.12

Nickel hydride complexes are of great importance in the research areas of homogeneous catalysis and enzymatic reaction mechanisms. They are postulated as intermediate key species in a variety of catalytic reactions. However, nickel hydrides are often too reactive to allow direct observation, making it difficult to investigate the reaction mechanisms. Now, ITQB chemists from the Homogeneous Catalysis Lab have synthesised a well-defined nickel hydride stable enough to be isolated. Mechanistic studies based on stoichiometric reactions, revealed that the nickel hydride complex is the active species in the reduction of carbonyl groups to alcohols. This work is published in Advances Synthesis & Catalysis, a leading primary journal in organic, organometallic, and applied chemistry.

Original Article

Advances Synthesis & Catalysis (2012) DOI: 10.1002/adsc.201200389

N-Heterocyclic carbene complexes of nickel as efficient catalysts for hydrosilylation of carbonyl derivatives

Lorena Postigo and Beatriz Royo