Switching between borrowing hydrogen and acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling by base transition-metal catalysts

Abstract

Taking the advantages of sustainability and economy, the borrowing hydrogen (BH) and acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling (ADC) methodologies based on earth-abundant transition-metal catalysts have recently attracted enormous interest in both academia and industry. Novel strategies to achieve switchable synthesis of the BH and ADC products by precise control of the reaction parameters and the catalytic systems are desirable and will significantly promote the field. In this mini-review, we summarized the published work on the switchable synthesis of amine/imine, alcohol/ketone, nitrile/acrylonitrile, and alkane/alkene through BH and ADC pathways, respectively. Specifically, we discussed the origin of the product-switching.