Application of ferrocenylimidazolium salts as catalysts for the transfer hydrogenation of ketones

Ferrocenylimidazolium salts with methylene and phenyl groups bridging the ferrocenyl and alkylimidazolium moieties were synthesized and characterized by spectroscopic and analytical methods. Crystal structures of two new compounds are also reported. Cyclic voltammetry was used to analyze the influence of the two bridging groups or spacers on electrochemical properties of the salts relative to the shifts in the formal electrode or peak potentials (E⁰ or E_1/2) of the ferrocene/ferrocenium redox couple. Results from this study showed that all the salts exhibited higher electrode potentials relative to ferrocene, which is due to the electron-withdrawing effect of the imidazolium ion on the ferrocenyl moiety. Application of the salts as catalysts in transfer hydrogenation of ketones resulted in high conversion of saturated ketones to corresponding alcohols and turnover numbers as high as 1880. The catalysts were chemoselective towards reduction of the C=C bonds of conjugated 3-penten-2-one and 4-hexen-3-one to yield saturated ketones, while unconjugated 5-hexen-2-one was hydrogenated to an unsaturated alcohol.