Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones and Imines with Methanol under Base-Free Conditions Catalyzed by an Anionic Metal-Ligand Bifunctional Iridium Catalyst.

An anionic iridium complex [Cp*Ir(2,2'-bpyO)(OH)][Na] was found to be a general and highly efficient catalyst for transfer hydrogenation of ketones and imines with methanol under base-free conditions. Readily reducible or labile substituents, such as nitro, cyano, and ester groups, were tolerated under present reaction conditions. Notably, this study exhibits the unique potential of anionic metal-ligand bifunctional iridium catalysts for transfer hydrogenation with methanol as a hydrogen source.