Enhanced product selectivity promoted by remote metal coordination in acceptor-free alcohol dehydrogenation catalysis

A bimetallic [Ir3+]2 complex was synthesized based on a bridging 1,2,3-triazole ligand that coordinates to one Cp*Ir unit as N,N-bidentate chelate, and to the other as a C,C-bidentate ligand. When compared to monometallic homologues, the bimetallic complex shows greatly enhanced product selectivity for the acceptorless dehydrogenation of alcohols; spectroscopic and electrochemical analysis suggest significant alteration of the metal properties in the bimetallic system compared to the monometallic species, which offers a rationale for the observed high selectivity.