Herein, we report a phosphine free novel ruthenium NNN based pincer complex that can act as a highly efficient catalyst for N-methylation of amines and direct N-methylation of nitroarenes using methanol as a C1 source under mild reaction conditions following the borrowing-hydrogen approach.

Abstract

A novel phosphine-free ruthenium pincer complex based on an NNN pincer ligand has been prepared and fully characterized. The complex was subsequently employed as an efficient catalyst for the N-methylation of amines and the direct N-methylation of nitroarenes using methanol as a C1 source under mild reaction conditions following the borrowing-hydrogen approach. Both of the catalytic transformations were performed with only catalytic amounts of base under closed air conditions without using any other additives.