Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling of Primary Alcohols To Form Cross-Esters Catalyzed by a Manganese Pincer Complex

Base-metal-catalyzed
dehydrogenative cross-coupling of primary
alcohols to form cross-esters as major products, liberating hydrogen
gas, is reported. The reaction is catalyzed by a pincer complex of
earth-abundant manganese in the presence of catalytic base, without
any hydrogen acceptor or oxidant. Mechanistic insight indicates that
a dearomatized complex is the actual catalyst, and indeed this independently
prepared dearomatized complex catalyzes the reaction under neutral
conditions.