Sepulveda, FranciscoCarrion, M. CarmenPhillips, Andrew D.Jalon, Felix A.Dyson, Paul J.Manzano, Blanca R.2017-03-272017-03-272017-03-27201710.1002/ejic.201601207https://infoscience.epfl.ch/handle/20.500.14299/135964WOS:000393405500014Ruthenium complexes of the type [RuCl(eta(6)-arene)-(NN)]X (X = BF4 or BPh4) featuring an eta(6)-arene ligand modified with an imidazolium ring and incorporating the bis(azo) chelating (NN) ligands 2-hydroxyphenylbis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) methane or 2-nitrophenylbis(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl) methane are reported. The catalytic activities of the complexes were evaluated in the transfer hydrogenation of benzaldehyde to benzyl alcohol with iPrOH as the hydrogen donor in the absence of a base and under biphasic conditions; one of the two phases was iPrOH, and the other was an ionic liquid. The catalysts featuring the imidazolium-modified eta(6)-arene could be recycled and reused with only a minor decrease in substrate conversion after multiple reaction cycles. The reaction rate was strongly influenced by the type of ionic liquid employed in the biphasic system.HydrogenationIonic liquidsRutheniumBiphasic catalysisN ligandstext::journal::journal article::research article