Air-Stable Arene Manganese Complexes as Catalysts for the Syngas-Assisted Direct Reductive Amination, Cyanation of Aldehyde, and CO 2 Fixation by Epoxide with High Functional Groups Tolerance.

Manganese complexes [(arene)Mn(CO) 3 ] + were prepared in one step from arenes and Mn(CO) 5 Br. They were found to be efficient catalysts in the carbonyl cyanation with TMSCN, CO 2 fixation by epoxides, and direct reductive amination in the presence of syngas. The amination reaction tolerated various reducible functional groups. The synergy of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in syngas provides high efficiency of the catalytic system. The developed protocols do not require an inert atmosphere, and the catalysts can be handled in air.