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Iridium‐Catalyzed Selective Cross‐Coupling of Ethylene Glycol and Methanol to Lactic Acid
Author(s) -
Wu Jiajie,
Shen Lingyun,
Chen ZheNing,
Zheng Qingshu,
Xu Xin,
Tu Tao
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
angewandte chemie
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1521-3757
pISSN - 0044-8249
DOI - 10.1002/ange.202002403
Subject(s) - ethylene glycol , methanol , catalysis , iridium , lactic acid , chemistry , selectivity , ethylene , ligand (biochemistry) , combinatorial chemistry , metal , atom (system on chip) , coupling (piping) , organic chemistry , materials science , bacteria , metallurgy , biochemistry , receptor , biology , computer science , genetics , embedded system
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.