NSF-DFG Echem: Electrochemical Hydrogenation of Amides and Esters

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The hydrogenation of carboxylic acid derivatives such as esters and amides represents an atom economic process for the production of synthetically valuable alcohols and amines. As a primary biological functional group, amides are ubiquitous both in natural chemical compounds and in therapeutic agents. Hydrogenation via the cleavage of C-O or C-N bonds offers a direct route to valuable amines and alcohols (or water). Esters are also frequently encountered, and hydrogenation offers a highly attractive synthetic route to the corresponding alcohols. Traditionally, the reduction of esters and amides is achieved through the use using stoichiometric reducing agents such as LiAlH4 or samarium iodide. However, this leads to a significant amount of waste and the reactions are often not functional group tolerant. Therefore, it has long been a challenge to find efficient and selective catalytic methods for the reduction of esters to alcohols and amides to amines and alcohols as alternatives.Recently, electrochemistry has been used more frequently for the construction of (organic) molecules, as it allows to use energy directly from renewable sources. Thus, it represents a versatile tool for energy- and atom economic synthes. The research project aims at the catalytic hydrogenation of esters and amides with electrons and protons. Base metal complexes are used as catalysts. is.