Efficient Base-Free Hydrogenation of Amides to Alcohols and Amines Catalyzed by Well-Defined Pincer Imidazolyl-Ruthenium Complexes

Novel homogeneous ruthenium catalysts bearing an imidazolylaminophosphino pincer ligand have been synthesized. The active catalyst allows for the hydrogenation of a range of amides under base-free conditions to afford the corresponding alcohols and amines in high yields.