ESTER SYNTHESIS THROUGH COBALT-CATALYZED DEHYDROGENATIVE COUPLING OF PRIMARY ALCOHOLS

Abstract

The search for sustainable alternatives to precious metal catalysts has become increasingly vital in modern chemistry. A groundbreaking solution emerges through the application of first-row transition metals combined with pincer ligands, offering both economic and environmental advantages. Our research introduces iPrPPPBF, a novel phosphine-based ligand incorporating a benzofuran scaffold, which was synthesized under carefully controlled conditions. Through meticulous crystallization procedures, we obtained pure ligand samples that were subsequently complexed with cobalt. Advanced X-ray crystallography revealed the detailed molecular structures of these metal complexes. The cobalt variant demonstrated remarkable catalytic efficiency in transforming benzyl alcohol into its corresponding benzoate ester through dehydrogenative coupling. This achievement marks a significant advancement in developing sustainable catalytic systems, suggesting broader applications in alcohol functionalization reactions. Our findings contribute to the growing field of earth-abundant metal catalysis, offering more sustainable alternatives to traditional precious metal systems throughout modern industrial chemistry processes and future green synthesis methodologies.