Iridium-Catalyzed Hydrogenation and Dehydrogenation of N-Heterocycles in Water under Mild Conditions

An efficient catalytic method is presented for the hydrogenation of N-heterocycles. The iridium-based catalyst operates under mild conditions in water without any co-catalyst or stoichiometric additives. The catalyst also promotes the reverse reaction of dehydrogenation of N-heterocycles, hence displaying appropriate characteristics for a future hydrogen economy based on liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs)