Selective Catalytic Hydrogenation of Arenols by a Well-Defined Complex of Ruthenium and Phosphorus–Nitrogen PN3–Pincer Ligand Containing a Phenanthroline Backbone

Selective catalytic hydrogenation of aromatic compounds is extremely challenging using transition-metal catalysts. Hydrogenation of arenols to substituted tetrahydronaphthols or cyclohexanols has been reported only with heterogeneous catalysts. Herein, we demonstrate the selective hydrogenation of arenols to the corresponding tetrahydronaphthols or cyclohexanols catalyzed by a phenanthroline-based PN3-ruthenium pincer catalyst.