Transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by 1-alkylbenzimidazole ruthenium(II) complexes

Six [RuCl2(1-alkylbenzimidazole)(p-cymene)] complexes have been prepared and the new compounds characterized by C, H, N analyses, H-1 NMR, and C-13 NMR. The reduction of ketones to alcohols via transfer hydrogenation was achieved with catalytic amounts of the complexes in the presence of t-BuOK.