Indenyl rhodium complexes. Synthesis and catalytic activity in reductive amination using carbon monoxide as a reducing agent

Indenyl-ligated rhodium(III) catalyst [(eta(5)-indenyl) RhX2](n) (1) is reported for the synthesis of alkylated amines via catalytic reductive amination using carbon monoxide as a reducing agent. Water as a solvent was found to be the best media for the reaction. Complex 1 was synthesized via a high-yielding procedure based on the reaction of bis(ethylene) derivative (eta(5)-indenyl) Rh(C2H4)(2) with iodine. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.